260
by Merlin 2001
Summary: Walter receives a phone call, one that changes his life forever. He struggles to understand parenting and to deal with his daughter's 260 IQ - larger then his. However he has Paige to help him and that's a good thing - right? IMPORTANT: I don't own scorpion. CBS does. I am up to date (season 4) but this is set in season 1.
1. Chapter 1

**A.N. Hello! My name is Sophie and I am a teenager from the UK. This is my first FanFiction so please be patient with me. Any constructive criticism would greatly be appreciated, if there are any mistakes, let me know and I will try and change them. Please note that I am doing my GCSE's this year (last year of secondary already seems like only yesterday I was a little year 7!) so updates might not be up straight away however I am planning to get up at least 2 a month. Anyway enough from me, enjoy the story R &R!**

 **Regards**

 **Sophie  
**

 **P.S. If you get the significance of the cover photo after reading this chapter (yes that's a clue), tell me and I will message you personally because I will be impressed. (Only if you get it without looking it up.**

* * *

Chapter One: Mini me:O'Brien 0.5

Walter walked into Scorpion HQ to see that the rest of the team bar Cabe, were already there. Happy was working on some project or other; Toby was annoying Sylvester by messing up his desk and Paige was talking to Ralph who, although he wasn't Toby, Walter could clearly see was getting frustrated. Joining the conversation out of curiosity, Walter went over to the pair.

"What's up?" Walter asked

"Today it is Show and Tell and Ralph is refusing to bring something." Paige explained

"Show and Tell wastes 20 minutes of my time when I could be doing something more efficient. Instead I have to listen to some kid go on and on about some rubbish rock they found while walking their dog. Plus I don't have anything remotely good to show." Ralph argued. Walter could understand Ralph's reasoning for not wanting to do Show and Tell and agreed with them but knew that if Ralph didn't show anything Paige would not stop going on about it.

"Well Ralph I've got something for you." Walter replied moving away from them and disappearing into the back of the garage. When he returned he was holding a white piece of metal which Ralph could immediately tell was aluminium.

"This is a piece of the plane that we helped a few months ago, when Scorpion first met your mother. You could tell your class mates about that."

Ralph nodded and Paige thanked him quietly.

"Where's Cabe?" He asked

"I don't know" Sly replied snatching a pencil back from Toby.

"Ralph! It's time for school!" Paige called.

Walter was just about to open his mouth to say something when his phone rang. "Hello. Is that Mr Walter O'Brien speaking personally?" A voice that Walter didn't know, said.

"Yes"

"Is there somewhere you can talk privately?" It questioned as if it knew that he in company.

"One minute" and he put the mystery speaker on hold.

"I am going to take this call upstairs. Toby don't you dare touch that intercom or I'll burn all your hats, Happy, I will smash that project that you've been working on for months into smithereens and Sylvester, I will rub out your questions that you've been working on and mess up your stuff. Don't try and hide doing it either because Sly's guilty looks will give it away. Even if only one of you presses it there will be consequences for all of you. So unless you want to make Happy angry, leave the intercom alone." Walter threatened and walked up the stairs and into his apartment.

"Hello? Ok we're alone. Who is this and why are you calling?" he asked

"Mr O'Brien, this is Adrian Peterson form The St Paul's orphanage for Girls. We have your daughter here."

"Sorry you must have the wrong person. I don't have a daughter." He told them and was about to hang up when Adrian said something.

"Do you remember a Miss Taylor Feingold?" Walter had a photographic memory. He remembered her and said so. Taylor was a woman that Walter met while staying in England ten years ago. One thing led to another and one day Walter found himself awakening next to her. The 'relationship' didn't last long though and a few weeks later he went back to the states.

"Well shortly after you moved, she realised she was pregnant and nine months later she gave birth to a girl named Lillian Clarissa Aaliyah O'Brien. She gave the girl your last name but didn't want to get in touch with you that way she didn't feel guilty if she didn't tell her daughter of your existence. Last month Miss Feingold died as result of a car accident and your daughter came to us as Miss Feingold had wished that her daughter come to this orphanage. When we read her will, it said to track you down and, if still alive, to give you custody of her, it took us a month but we did it. Please come and collect her she has been causing havoc."

The men hang up before Walter could reply. So Walter went down the stairs and climbed into his car ignoring any questions about where he was going. It was a five minute drive to the orphanage. Walter walked right in, and gave his name at the desk. The secretary told him to go through the door on his right then go straight ahead and go through the door to the left of him. When he got there he saw middle aged women with red checks and a fiery anger slap a girl, with black shoulder length curly hair, on the back of her legs.

"I thought I told you not to go on the computer." She hissed pulling the girl over her knee.

"No. You said not to play on the computer. I was hacking the computer. It was an easy job too. Your security sucks." The woman was just about to spank the girl's bottom when Walter shouted out. "Hey leave the kid alone."

"The women look up and the girl took the hesitation as a chance to get away and quickly scampered off her and ran towards Walter.

"Who are you?"

"Walter O'Brien."

"Oh good, she's Lillian." The women replied the women, pointing to the girl who was now looking at Walter.

"Mr. O'Brien, I was punishing her for disobeying orders, being cheeky and using bad language. This is how the orphanage punishes the orphans and let me tell you, your daughter had been over my knee lots of times this week."

"Was she right when she said that you had said not to play on the computer and not to not go on it?"

"Well technically yes but-"

"Then she wasn't disobeying you. Hacking is not playing. As for being rude, she was stating a fact and for bad language 'suck' isn't bad language."

"Whatever, to take your daughter you need to sign these papers. I'm Mrs Clarke head of the 7-10 year olds" Walter signed them and walked out with Lillian at his side. He opened the door of his car before waiting for his daughter to get in, moving to the driver's side and getting in himself.

"Where are we going?"

"I have work so you will have to go with me" was his reply. So Walter dove back to the garage with Lillian and by the time he got there both Paige and Cabe had returned.

"There you are Walter. Hey guess what? We don't have a case today isn't that -" Toby started before resting eyes on the girl behind him.

"Who's the kid?" Cabe asked

"Come on Cabe. I know you're not a genius but surely that's obvious. I mean she looks exactly like me. This is my daughter Lillian Clarissa Aaliyah O'Brien."

"I didn't know you had a daughter" the rest of Scorpion answered in unison

"Nor did I, not until today. She won't be any trouble, Lillian you can sit over there."

Lillian followed Walter's point and sat down. She was board so got out her laptop. She started hacking a person's game a changing it up, adding secret levels. She didn't know what to make of her father and hoped that he would accept her as no-one had really understood her before. He seemed smart, knowing that hacking was not the same thing as playing it but had no idea that he was a genius like she was. After all, she had been used to being around people who could never understand what she talked about so being misunderstood was normal for her especially as she had the highest IQ ever recorded by the last count anyway.

"I am glad we don't have a case but what are we going to do when we do?" Paige asked, knowing that Lillian, as Lillian was here, she wasn't enrolled in elementary school yet.

"I'll hire a nanny until I enroll her in school."

"How old is she?"

"Nine so she will be in Ralph's class."

"Oh. You're thinking of taking her to his school? Good thinking. However what if they don't get along?"

"I don't think that will be a problem." Toby answered. "Come look at this Walt."

"Walter, followed by the rest of Scorpion, headed towards Lillian where the Doc was standing. They looked at what he was pointing to - Lillian was coding and hacking. She was good at it, very good, as good as Walter, if not better. Lillian was aware that she was being watched and stopped.

"Did you know about this?"

So Walter told them the about Lillian getting in trouble for hacking a computer. He hadn't thought anything of it at the time. He didn't know what normals were capable of but looking at what she could do, it was clear she was one of them and that excited Walter. He was at first worried at the thought of his daughter being 'stupid' and not being able to connect with her.

"I didn't think that she would be this good though."

Lillian got up and turned around at the adults faces, worried. Paige smiled reassuringly and Walter spoke. "It's OK. This is Scorpion. We are all geniuses apart from the brownie - blonde whose name is Paige and the old guy whose name is Cabe."

Lillian smiled.

"What are your talents?"

"I am good at chess, been playing since I was 1 1/2, as you have probably guessed, hacking and coding, I can speak 65 languages fluently and proficient in 15, I also have a photographic memory, can pick locks and solve equations quickly." She answered her British accent thick.

"And you're IQ?"

"260"

"Wow. We finally found someone smarter then you." Toby replied "and she's your daughter."

The geniuses looked at the kid. The kid looked at the geniuses.

"As we have no case today we had better get you enrolled in elementary school. Paige's son Ralph goes to the local one. He's a genius too."

"Do I have too? School is boring. I'm in my second year of University."

"What university?" Paige asked

"Stanford. Can I still go there? I only need to go every other week, now I live in America. I know it's a bit of a long way but I got a scholarship there."

"No you can still go. However you still have to go to elementary school too. I know it's boring but according to Paige it's good for you plus it's the law kid." Walter answered.

"Stop calling me kid. It's condescending. It's Lillian okay?" Lillian snapped back.

"Hey don't talk to your dad like that!" Cabe scolded

"Who asked you grandad?"

"Grandad?" Cabe repeated. He was about to joke with Lillian that he was not old when his phone went off. Cabe went off to answer it while Lillian walked over to the board where Sly had some equation written on it: something he'd been working on for a while. She picked up a piece of chalk and after only looking at it for a few seconds, wrote the answer. She was good at maths but not as good as Sly. She only knew the answer to this particular equation because she had seen it before.

"Hey Lillian's cracked that equation Sly's been working on." Happy announced. "Check it."

Sylvester moved to the board and scanned Lillian's neat writing.

"It's right." Just then, Cabe returned, he had gone out the garage for a bit too and was holding something. This really interested them.

"Hey! We have a case!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two: A case

"We have a case and not one from Homeland." Cabe announced putting a box with the words 'Central Intelligence Agency.'

"CIA?" Sylvester asked. Cabe nodded in response.

"Their internal affairs division intercepted an encrypted message that was sent by someone in the Agency's Los Angeles office. They have no idea what it contains."

"A leak?" Sylvester asked

"A leak... leaking information to a very dangerous foreign government. Yemen. Could be battle plans, state secrets, or Intel that could jeopardise national security. They want you to find out what the messages says, who the leak is and stop them."

"Why can't they decode the messages?" Paige asked

"Because they don't know who the leak is. It could be anyone." Lillian explained. Heads turned towards Lillian, who they had forgotten was there.

Cabe chucked the box at Happy who caught it.

"Correct."

Immediately they got to work after Walter told them to decode the message and then go to L.A. branch of the CIA.

"Darn it!" Sylvester yelled "This is a black box combinatorial pointer tree encryption algorithm."

"Here let me" Lillian suggested jumping up and pushing Sylvester out the way. Before anyone could protest, Lillian had got past it and was reading it out.

"You know I could crack it myself..." he compliant was ignored.

"BOO"

"Could be base of operation"

"Or could be a nickname, like a love thing. After all that's what the whole message is saying."

"Unlikely. No, it's a code in a code. Now, we need to go to the CIA branch." Walter ordered

"May I come?" Lillian asked

"No Lillian It's highly irregular" Cabe replied

"I think it's a good idea. She cracked the code, we could use her." Walter argued

"Fine but she'd better behave." Cabe sighed not wanting to argue any longer. With everyone second that passed the chance that a worldwide catastrophe would occur.

The team quickly got distracted when being led by the person in charge of the problem. New technology was exciting and to Lillian, it felt like being James Bond.

"Pen lock picker. Can pick any lock."

"All I need is a paper clip" Happy and Lillian said in unison. They smiled at each other.

The lady showing them the technology rolled her eyes before moving on. When she finished she turned to Lillian and Happy.

"Can you do that with a paperclip?" She asked.

Toby walked over to Happy. "Look. Someone who is great with technology, is pretty and nice." He teased.

"Shut it doc"

"Now we've finished the field trip, shall we get back to work?" Suggested the boss

"And I must voice my concerns about having a kid here" he added at he spotted Lillian.

"She has double your IQ." Walter pointed out before moving on.

They quickly found the person responsible for the leaks. Leonard. Cabe took him back to scorpion HQ to question him.

"Look, yes, I leaked the information but it was for a good cause. Yemeni farmers can't get these chemicals to make basic pesticides which means that they can't grow crops, which is why they are starving. Now, I-I got her two chemicals, I was gonna get her one more, so that she could save millions. They are toxic and highly controlled." Leonard confessed.

"What chemicals did you give her?" Walter questioned

"Phosphorus trichloride and liquid trans-methyl propylaxine. Now, the third one that I haven't brought her yet is O-ethyl methyphonic acid. Combined, these chemicals make pesticide."

"Yes but they can be changed."

Leonard looked confused. Lillian walked over to him thinking he was stupid. The guy was basically in the 'clever' team of the CIA and he didn't know this?

"If you methylate the phosphorus trichloride, it forms methyl phosphorus dichloride... Which, when combined with the liquid trans-methyl propylaxine and the O-ethyl methyphonic acid, creates tiny particles. Very deadly, easily aerosolised, and completely different from pesticides. It's nerve gas." Lillian explained

"I didn't understand a word of that other than 'It's very deadly'." Paige muttered. Although her comment was heard, it was ignored.

It didn't not take long for the team to track down Sima and after a close call on an aeroplane, Sima was arrested and the chemicals destroyed safely. Thousands of lives were saved once again thanks to team Scorpion. Although she had to stay at home most of the time, Lillian felt that she had helped. For one thing she decoded the message that had been sent and also helped to make Paige's voice sound like Leonard's even though, granted, that plan didn't go so well. She enjoyed working with the team and found out stuff about them. Her dad was arrested when he was 11 because he hacked into NASA, Toby had a massive gambling problem, and Sly had OCD and was found in a hotel room. (The first one was obvious and Lillian has spotted the second she saw his desk.) And Happy grew up in the foster care system so she knew how Lillian felt and despite the fact, that Happy had lived through the foster system all her childhood while Lillian only had been in it for a month or so, they bonded easily.

When they had finished the case the team went back to HQ. This time they had gotten home for about 6:00 which was quite good considering it was a hard case, not to crack, but to survive as Sima was desperate to succeed. However now, that didn't matter. They had solved it and the human race was safe once more.

Lillian was looking forward to meeting Paige's son, Ralph. He was a genius too and just so happened to be Lillian's age although a he was a few months younger. Lillian would be 10 in a fortnight. She hoped that Walter wouldn't find out because she didn't want to celebrate it. It was just the day she was born why should they celebrate that? It wasn't hard, everyone has a birthday. They should celebrate something hard like finishing a degree. On the other hand, something told her that it wasn't Walter she had to worry about if they found out her birthday, it was Paige. 'Thinking of Paige' thought Lillian 'where is she? Probably gone to pick up Ralph from the sitter.'


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Meeting Ralph

Paige had gone to collect Ralph from his sitter and Lillian was looking forward to meeting him. When she turned, it was clear that she'd already told her son about Lillian because Ralph didn't ask who she was. Instead, he walked over to Lillian.

"Hey. I'm Ralph. Mum told me you are a genius too."

"Yeah I've a 260 IQ."

"Wow. Walter's the leader of the Cyclone. You probably already know that. He's got a 197 IQ. Maybe you'll be the leader as you have a high IQ."

"Doubt it. I'm only nine. You're nine too, aren't you?"

"Yeah, you'll be in my class once Walter's enrolled you and I didn't mean now I meant in the future."

"I wish I didn't have to go. You understand don't you? Going to elementary school when you've already learned what they are teaching you. I learned it all when I was 2. By then I could speak over 10 languages fluently, now I can speak over 50 fluently."

"Tell me about it. I am at university though too."

"Yeah I go to university too: Stanford, second year."

"Caltech, first year" he smiled "Hey want to play on Proton Arnold?"

"Sure sounds like fun!"

The high score, courtesy of Walter, was 150,786. Ralph tried hard to beat it but failed and when Lillian tried she got 150,779. 7 below Walter. They played until Paige's voice interrupted them. "Ralph! Time to go now!" She called. When Ralph left, she went over to Happy who was working on a project.

"Hey Lillian" Happy said without looking up.

"Hey Happy I have something for you." Lillian replied pulling out something out of her bag. She liked Happy ever since she found out that she grew up in the foster system. The thing that she had was something that Lillian had collected a while back and knew that as Happy was the engineer, she'd like it more.

Happy looked up, her eyes widening when she saw what Lillian had.

"Is that an antique socket wrench set #734?"

"Yep"

"Wow. Thanks Lillian it's beautiful!"

"You're welcome."

Lillian could not say anything else because Walter's voice stopped them.

"Yeah Lillian I think you should go to bed please."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I don't think I should go to bed."

"Don't check me."

"Fine fine. I'll get in the car."

"Oh yeah I haven't said yet. My apartment is upstairs. Your room will be the first on the left. Brush your teeth and change into your pajammers.

"But it is only 8."

"Bed."

So Lillian got up and did what she was told. She was tried from the journey and as soon as her head hit the pillow she fell asleep.

When she awoke, Lillian didn't know where she was. Sunlight poured into the windows like a watering can, casting a shadow against the white wall which Lillian's bed was next too. There were no curtains up but there where blinds which didn't really do its job very well of holding out the sun. Then Lillian remembered. She wasn't in the orphanage anymore; she was in her bedroom in her father's flat. Lillian's room was quite basic although large. It had an en- suite bathroom but other than that the room was quite plain. The wall were painted white with matching blinds. The carpet was pristine, clearly not many people had been in the room over the years, and was an ugly shade of green which made Lillian feel physically sick. For furniture, all there was, was a bed (of course) and a wardrobe. It certainly wasn't warm and welcoming but Walter had promised to let her decorated even though it would take months, to any design she wanted.

Much the dismay of Lillian, Walter enrolled her in school the morning and would be starting the next day. However, fortunately for her and Ralph, school was not in session as it was a teacher training day or inspet day, as Lillian called it so they could spend the day together. Walter was visiting Megan who Lillian correctly guessed was Walter's sick sister. The first thing that the pair wanted was to play video games. The first the pair actually did was quite different. Shopping. Paige had said that Lillian needed somethings for school. Clothes for one thing (which she -Lillian- expected) because Lillian didn't have many. In England most of her clothes were school uniform and when she moved, wasn't allowed to take more than a suitcase full of stuff which Lillian mainly filled with books rather than clothes. The school that she went to was in partnership with the Orphanage 'St Paul's school for Girls' which had a uniform. So this would be the first school that didn't have a uniform.

However other than that Lillian didn't think she needed anything else so, when Paige had paid for all the clothes, Lillian was surprised when she said they weren't done.

"What else are we actually getting?"

Paige smiled and handed. Lillian a piece of paper which was a list of things:

Backpack

Lunchbox

2 Pencil cases (clear and one more)

Pencil and pens

Coloured pencils

Felt tips

Glue sticks

Scissors

3 folders and popper wallets (Maths, Science and English)

3 notebooks

Erasers

Maths kit (ruler, protector compass and set squares)

Sharpener

Highlighters

Hand sanitiser

Wipes

Locker accessories

Water bottle

Lillian laughed when she had finished.

"Is all this really necessary?"

"Yes. Sly put the hand sanitiser on there."

"I never would have guessed"

They spend the whole morning, 3 hours 39 minutes, 48 seconds and 7 milliseconds.

"$997.87" Lillian announced

"Sorry?"

"That's how much we spent. $997.87. 94 objects. That's an average of $10.62 per object. That's a lot."

"Yeah I know it was expensive but that was because we did have to buy a lot of things for school. You didn't have any of the things on the list. Plus we needed to buy you lots of clothes."

When they had finished Lillian went back to Ralph's and played videogames until Walter picked her up. After dinner, Lillian packed her bag while her dad made her packed lunch. Then she went to bed after being told by Walter that she needed her sleep. Lillian however disagreed and instead crept down to Scorpion HQ and started coding on her computer. It was weird being there at night although she technically was always there at night. No-one was there: not surprising it was 22:47. So the garage was silent apart from the tapping of her fingers against the keyboard. Trees whispered and shared secrets outside which could be heard through the locked metal door. It was true what people said. At night you could hear anything and this warm winter night was no exception. To the untrained eye, Lillian looked like she was just typing nonsense but nothing is nonsense when you're a 9 - nearly 10- year old genius with a 260 IQ.

The silence helped Lillian think. Noises and movement detracted her. Taking a break from her coding she walked towards Toby's desk. He had plain pieces of paper and took some, a pencil, a rubber and a sharpener. She knew that Sylvester had the exact same things in the second draw of his desk but, even though Sky's desk was closer, Lillian knew that taking it from Toby's desk would be a better idea. Sly would notice. After taking the necessary stationary, Lillian sat back down on the settee and drew a picture of a brain before labelling it. Afterwards, Lillian went back to her room and fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Testing Times

 **Guest bobolovesclyde – Thanks I will keep this in mind.**

 **Nicolebishop – Thanks for adding me to your alerts and I am glad you're enjoying it; you'll have to read to find out the significance of the brain.**

 **Thanks to everyone who has added me to their alerts. For those of you who think that it is un realistic for Walter to pick her up so quickly remember Walter is a genius and in one of the episodes it was said that the 'state facts so they assume everyone else does too'.**

 **A.N.**

 **Well readers, thank you so much. I posted this story went to watch The Apprentice and came and saw that I had plenty of reviews. Keep reading. Keep happy. Keep enjoying.**

 **Regards Sophie**

Lillian hated school. Of course, most children do. However Lillian wasn't like most children. School meant she had to sit through endless hours of boring and pointless lessons like adding fractions in maths, when she knew the stuff by the time she was 3. That's the life of a genius: you don't find many people who are as smart as you and that meant when you tried to speak about the things you know, the things you really are interested in ,like how much is the exact volume of the earth squared or how many decimal points of PI can you recite, (for Lillian it was the 2000th digit which was 0.) and why 0÷0 has no defined value, to most people, you just got strange looks and confused grunts. However Lillian had Scorpion, at school she had Ralph and that was all that mattered.

One thing that puzzled her was Walter. Most geniuses had a low EQ like see did, which meant love, other emotion and social interaction was hard for them to process. However Walter seemed to have a high EQ around her, attending to her emotional needs and trying to keep up any traditions she used to have which both she and Walter thought were pointless. Why was it special to keep doing something just because you have been doing it for ages? That made Lillian think that Walter was really acting, she heard he had managed it once, and would start questioning her. She was right.

As soon as she had left the room having showered and changed Walter integrated her. Questions about her intelligence were mainly the questions asked. He no longer seemed to want to make sure her needs were met just because he was her father.

"I gave you half of my genetics. Why does that mean I have to make you happy?" he had explained

Lillian had taken a break to get breakfast and when she returned she saw Walter holding a piece of paper.

"What's this?"

"General knowledge."

"Not more questions surely! What's this the Spanish Inquisition? I thought you were Walter O'Brien leader of Scorpion not Ferdinand II of Aragon."

Walter than proceeded to start the quiz asking her some tough one which Lillian had to think about and other ones which she knew straight away, Lillian starting getting really fed up with the questioning. She felt that now, Walter was trying to make sure she was who she said she was which was quite understandable really - for a normal.

However Lillian had more pressing things to deal with. First of all, making sure she was downstairs in time for Paige to take her to school. She had found out that first impressions counted though she couldn't imagine why – surely showing her intelligence would be better. Then the teacher might not then the teacher might not explain everything to her so it would be for efficient. So she left the breakfast table and headed towards the door and just got the door handle when she felt a sharp scratch in her arm and looked up to see Walter holding a vile of her blood.

"Walter! What are doing with my blood?"

"Testing it. Just to be sure. Now, shouldn't you be downstairs waiting Paige?"

"That's where I was going 197 before you stole my blood." She retorted before going back to the door, rubbing her arm.

Paige and Ralph were already there when Lillian entered the garage and walked right over to them.

"Ahh Lillian there you are. I was just going to send someone up to look for you. It's time to go." Paige told her. Lillian groaned but followed Paige to the door. Meanwhile, Cabe walked from the kitchen and towards the main table, inquiring where Walter was and after pointing upstairs, Lillian left the garage with Ralph at her side.

In the car Ralph and Lillian talked about equations and science while Paige looked on happy to see that for once Ralph had someone his own age to talk to. Yes he had Walter, Happy, Sylvester and Toby but she felt that it would be better for Ralph to make friends his own ages after all the age gap restricted how much they could see each other and that meant that often Ralph was isolated and unable to talk to anyone.

Finally the car arrived at the school and Lillian and Ralph got out. After introducing Lillian, the teacher started the lesson, which both Ralph and Lillian ignored. Instead they whispered to each other quietly about cases that Scorpion had been on previously. One of Ralph's favourite was the bio-hacking one, which a girl got sick from a disease specific disease made for her. This made the lesson go by quicker and things were going well until show and tell.

As Lillian had nothing, the teacher didn't expect her to stand up and do it, however Ralph did have something so they shared it. After they explained what the piece of aluminium was and what the story was behind it, trouble started brewing.

"Yes, that's a nice story but I did say to tell the truth. It's not good to lie." The teacher scolded

"We _were_ telling the truth." Ralph insisted "Just because you're too stupid to understand doesn't make it false."

"Yeah, put together we have quadruple your IQ. That means we are telling the truth as we only state facts."

"Well, Master Diene and Miss O'Brian tell me this. What does one teacher do when two students are rude? He or she sends those people to the principal's office. GO." The teacher ordered crisply. As they were leaving the classroom, they heard giggling and their teacher's voice again.

"Ralph will lead the way and show you where to go."

"No need: photographic memory."

"I suggest you stop talking. Not a good first impression this."

When they got to the principal's office they were immediately lectured for half an hour before being told that they would have to stay in at break and write lines. They'd also get a phone call home and would have to write a letter of apology to their teacher. It didn't matter; they didn't like going out anyway so this felt more like a reward then a punishment. So when break did come round they wrote their lines and then tried to calculate the exact surface area of the clock in front of them.

The rest of the day seemed to drag but finally the big hand and little hand reached the 3 while the bell rang out signalling the end of the day. Children ran from their desks and into the playground celebrating their freedom. Bags waved in the wind, goodbyes were said as the ecstatic students flew into the arms of their parents.

Paige was waiting by the car and one look of her face told the geniuses that she was not at all impressed but she didn't say anything, not at first. It was only when they got to the traffic lights did she open her mouth.

"Well? What do you two have to say for yourselves?"

"It's not our fault the teacher didn't believe us!" Lillian protested really not seeing how any of these was their fault.

"Mrs Ramp found it hard to believe that's all. She's not used to people being able to do the things Scorpion do."

"Yeah well Mrs Ramp's an idiot." Ralph reasoned trying to get his mum to see his point of view.

"Ralph! Mrs Ramp is an adult and you will show her some respect. Do you know what Walter and I were doing the phone call came through? We were hiding from armed drug runners. My phone ringing altered them and they nearly escaped."

Silence.

"Well, that made you be quiet. Ralph, you're grounded for a week. Lillian I suggest you speak to your father when I drop you off."

Walter was working on his rocket for Megan. Lillian hadn't learned much about her aunt only that she had MS and Walter's plans to save her. Paige had been getting Walter to take Lillian to see her but he kept refusing, while Lillian tried to show that she didn't mind. She did, form what Sly had said, she was really nice.

Lillian didn't know many people but she didn't mind that. She felt the more people you knew the more people you could let down however that didn't mean she didn't want to meet Megan. Brains always fascinated Lillian that's why she drew them most often and labelled them. She loved knowing the different parts of the brain. She even had a favourite part (Inferior Frontal Gyrus because it was responsible for critical thinking.) The fact that Megan's brian was failing interested her also, Lillian didn't have many relatives, and felt that having relatives was normal which she often tried to be.

Ralph waited in the car while Paige dropped of Lillian and spoke to Walter.

"Hey Paige, where's Ralph?" Walter asked

"Grounded" Lillian answered for her before dumping her bag on the sofa. Everyone else looked up. It was not normal for Paige to punish her son, though she sometimes told him off. Paige had told everyone how she disciplined her son in case they were to look after him and that was putting in him in a time out or grounding him. They didn't like it because they loved having the kid around but had said nothing because last time Paige had given them a logical argument for it which was something they couldn't argue with.

"Can I talk to you?" She asked

"Well physically, obviously you can, you're doing it now."

"Aren't you going to punish her?"

"Who?"

"The First Lady. Who do you think genius?"

"Don't be sarcastic Paige it's the lowest form of wit and doesn't suit you. I take it you mean Lillian then?"

"Yes. Are you going to punish Lillian?"

"What for?"

" Flying to the moon with out permission. Err Hello? For this morning."

"Again with the sarcasm. Anyway why would I? She was right, they both were."

"Be that as it way, they shouldn't of spoken to the teacher like they did. You're her father aren't you? That means you have to provide for her emotionally and physically. I know you can process emotion let alone provide which is why I try and help. This also means that you have to punish her when she does something wrong." Paige explained "You hired me to translate the world. I have translated it."

"What are you going to Ralph?"

"Well, he's grounded for a week, so he won't be coming here and he can't go on his electronics. When we get home, he's going to his room. I'm not going spank him, if that's what you're thinking I'd never lay my hands of him that way."

Walter nodded and walked towards his daughter. He hated it when Paige was right. He didn't know to punish her. He'd never hit her either, he had decided that as soon as she had met her. Paige wouldn't do that to Ralph and as the only other person with a kid (that was alive anyway) so he'd try and do what she did. Luckily, he had decided before he reached her.

Walter nodded and walked towards his daughter. Everyone looked up to see what was going to happen.

"We need to talk. I know that it's hard for people like us to speak to people nicely especially when they're factually incorrect. However what you did can't happen again."

"You're right and it won't" she answered walking away from him. Walter reached out, and grabbed Lillian's arm to prevent her from leaving making her flinch from old memories.

"I haven't finished. As your dad I am meant to discipline you when you do wrong. You did wrong thus I must punish you. You must realise that I'd never hit you like they did in the orphanage but I will still punish you, not that I like it. So you're grounded like Ralph, for a week."

"Fine. Fine. I understand, you know Walter you are a good- wait, ' _As your dad'_ you know for sure?"

Walter smiled and dug into his pocket, pulling out a piece of paper and giving it to her. Lillian looked at it – DNA test results and it said 'positive' on it

"I am about 99.98% sure. Now go to your room"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five: Sometimes Wishes can come true

 **Hello! Thanks for reading this A.N. and my story too. I am surprised people want to read my stories (I didn't think I was that good) Keep reading. Keep happy. Keep enjoying.**

 **Regards Sophie**

Lillian mused over the events of the previous night happy at its outcome. Sure she was grounded and couldn't go downstairs to HQ for a week, but on the bright side Walter was as certain as he could be that Lillian was his daughter.

During that day of school both Ralph and Lillian tried to keep their heads down. Their teacher had accepted their letters of apology and had said no more about their behaviour. They had gotten on with their work, tried hard in P.E., each scoring a few goals by using physics, and had held their tongue in assembly when the teacher had incorrectly said that humans only used 10% of their brains despite the urge to point out that this was ludicrous, was hard to overcome.

Now, Lillian was staring round her room looking for something to do. Walter had said that they could start looking for things for it next week if she behaved. Picking up her backpack she started on her homework, which she finished in two minutes. She was now staring up at her ceiling twiddling with her thumbs. She could sneak downstairs. No. That wouldn't work, if Walter didn't see her then the other five pairs of eyes might, and Lillian didn't know if they would tell on her or not.

Footsteps could be heard followed by a light knocking sound. The bedroom door opened and Walter stood in the doorway.

"Hey Lill, how are you?"

"Well, I'm bored out of my skull."

"You only have yourself to blame for that."

Lillian nodded – she understood.

"What exactly are you doing here?" she asked

"I am going to visit Megan you're coming too Lillian."

"I get to meet Megan? Finally!"

"Yes you do Lillian. I know I've said I wouldn't take you but Megan's refusing treatment until she sees you now hurry up we're going to be late."

"You called me Lill earlier. I wish you'd continue calling me that."

Walter and Lillian drove to the hospital. When they got there Walter stopped in the car park but didn't get out.

"Paige told me to warn you. What you're about to see might upset you."

"Walt I know I'm a kid but I understand MS and how it works. I have seen worse than that in my life trust me."

"What do you mean by that?"

"It doesn't matter. Maybe someday I'll tell you but not today. Anyway, what was that you said about being late?"

* * *

With that the pair advanced towards the hospital and went down a series of corridors until they came into a large room. The bed had a pretty patterned blanket on it, with fairy lights that were intertwined through the bars of the bed. In the bed, lay Megan, her black hair messy and brown eyes sparkled like diamonds. She sat up when Walter and Lillian walked in, smiling at her brother and niece.

"You must be Lillian. Hello, I am pleased to meet you." She greeted. Walter walked up to her and rubbed her shoulder reassuringly the way she liked it.

"What's this about you refusing treatment?"

"I wanted to meet my niece Walt. You've told me nothing about her other than that she exists and she's from England. I want to get to know her, she family, before I … " Megan started to explain then stopped realising that what she was going to say might upset the nine year old who clearly was related to her, but Lillian shook her head and walked nearer to her, so she could the girl's hazelnut eyes and freckles.

"It's ok. You can say it around me. You were going to say 'before I die'" Lillian said. She hated when people treated her like a little kid. Of course, it happened often – she was a little kid in their eyes. Her intellect though meant that Lillian understood more things than the average girl her age which meant that when people treated her as her age, she felt annoyed at people being condescending to her. She had the highest IQ ever recorded for pity's sake.

"Mmmm. I'm guessing you're a genius too then. I thought so, Walter's you're father. Is she like the other geniuses?" The second part of the speech was addressed to her brother who nodded. He then told her about what had happened the day before yesterday. Megan smiled at this. Walter was exactly the same as a kid.

"I think she's got the same thing as you. The complete and utter inability to follow rules, what was it that Sly had said…. Oh yes, Disobedience Syndrome."

"I don't think so. She was pointing out that the teacher was wrong. Hang on, what do you mean 'Sly had said'? Has he been here?"

"Oops. Would know be a good time to mention that we are going out?"

"WHAT!"

"Hey chill out Walter! Did you honestly not know? The signs are so obvious. I figured it out the minute Sly told me about her." Lillian put in.

Walter calmed down a bit. However it was clear that he would be having words with Sly when they got back. A nurse came in to give Megan her medicine because she was now accepting treatment. After giving her an injection he walked out and pulled out his phone. Lillian watched him for a little while before turning back to her aunt who was asking questions about what she liked. The subject came onto brains after Walter had found a piece of paper with a labelled one on it.

"Well, brains fascinate me. They control every aspect of our lives – our personalities for example- and everyone's is unique. For example, with mine Walter's Ralph's Sly's Toby's and Happy's brain it makes us smarter than the average person. Your brian gave you MS. I find that fascinating."

"Defiantly a genius, your EQ is low."

They couldn't continue their conversation because the nurse who had given Megan her injection was speaking loudly to another person on the phone, clearly his boss by the way he spoke to him.

"It's ring sir. Describe it to you? Well, it's gold, I don't know the karat of it. It has a diamond. It's in the shape of a decagon, the diamond though sir not the ring."

Lillian looked up at the ring in his hand and shook her head before leaving to room to confront him.

"Excuse me."

"Kid I am one the phone."

"Yes I know, talking to your boss about that ring that someone left. You're giving him the wrong information. Firstly, that's not a diamond it's a moisssantie – you can tell by the rainbow effect it has like a disco. Secondly it's not a decagon. It's a dodecahedron it has 12 faces and is 3-D. By the way, the gold ring is quite a deep orange-yellow but I've seen deeper ones, I estimate it as being a 14 karat gold ring also it is more likely to be that as it's the most common one."

"Listen kiddie I have to speak to the person on the phone. He's my boss."

"Yes I know that I said 'talking to your boss' weren't you listening? They say most people are below average intelligence. You're living, breathing prove of that. Look if you don't believe me look inside the ring it should tell you."

So the nurse looked it side it and sure enough it said '14 CT gold'. Then the nurse, realising that as Lillian was right about the gold she'd probably be right about everything else, so told his boss everything that she had said. When Lillian returned to the room Megan smiled at her before bursting into laughter. Walter wasn't there.

"What are you laughing at?"

"You're so much like Walter. You can't resist correcting people. You missed out on it today in assembly."

"Whatever, speaking of Walter where is he?"

"He had a phone call." Megan explained. The pair got to know each other quite well as they talked and Lillian found out stuff about Walter like when Megan pulled the fire alarm to stop the teacher canning Walter after he checked him – although he was right. Walter had returned just after this story was finished and picked up his and Lillian's coat before turning to her.

"Megan, that was Cabe, we have a case, and we have to go. Come on Lillian there isn't much time to lose."

"OK. Bye Megan thanks for today I enjoyed getting to know you."

"Likewise"

* * *

 **Hey guys. Yes, this is an A.N. and it's at the bottom of the page. I need your help. The first chapter's name is 260. I don't like it personally. So I want you to tell if you like it or if you have another one that you think is better. I will read the comments and choose by the end of the month so get your replies in quick. I will of course give a shoutout to however comes up with the name I choose. Thanks.  
**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: Just the Tip of the Iceberg

 **A.N** **(author note for those of you who don't know what that stands for.)**

 **Before we get into the story, I have decided on what to call Chapter One. I liked another name I came up with but also what Nicolebishop suggested – Mini me. So I put them together to get:**

 **Mini me: O'Brien 0.5**

 **Anyway enjoy the story. This one's a long chapter BTW there is a slight mention of murder but there is nothing graphic. I plan to make each chapter at least 1,000 words (not including A.N.s because this isn't really part of the story.) Keep reading. Keep happy. Keep enjoying. R & R.**

The week passed slowly but passed it did. Now, it was Monday morning and Lillian was waiting on Paige downstairs. She was watching her dad and best friend work on an experiment involving dissolving coins in Hydrochloric acid. Well, Ralph was standing back and passing things to Walter because they knew that Paige would go ballistic if Walter had let him pour the acid. Only she wasn't paying attention. She had more important things to deal with. Her birthday was at the end of the week and Lillian wanted to keep it a secret.

However, things never stay secret for as far as geniuses are concerned. They don't like not knowing things, to them secrets are puzzles to be solved and they needed to be cracked. Lillian knew this because she was exactly the same. As soon as she worked out that someone had a secret she immediately tried to find out what it was – with success normally. This, to say to least, annoyed people at having personal information discovered. As it turned out, Lillian's suspicions were conformed but the person who discovered it wasn't a genius at all who found out – it was Paige - and she found out that very same day.

Lillian had gone upstairs to fetch a book when Paige had arrived after sorting out speaking to Director Merrick who was exasperated about how the last case went. So, after finding out where she was, went to the apartment to wait for Lillian. Just as went into the living room and sat down on the sofa, she realised that she had knocked over several pieces of post. Picking them up, she subconsciously went through them, stopping only when she came to a cream piece of card that had a scalloped edge to it.

It seemed important so Paige gave it more than a little glance. It _was_ important. In gold fancy lettering it said:

 **Lillian Clarissa Aaliyah O'Brien**

 **Female, born 10th** **November 2005, 3;56 am Conquest Hospital, Hastings, South East Sussex, United Kingdom 8lb 12oz.**

 **To Taylor Elizabeth Feingold and (father unknown)**

Paige smiled. It was a birth certificate. She's would have to tell Walter to keep it safe and have it changed as it was now known that Walter was Lillian's father. She knew that Walter would disagree. Why would you keep a certificate for being born other than to prove who she was?

'Hang on. November 10th? That's on Sunday. We have a week to prepare a party for her.'

Paige quickly but carefully stuffed the birth certificate into the draw just in front of her as just as Lillian came in.

'I want it to be a surprise' she thought, but not thinking for one second that Lillian didn't want to celebrate her birthday and for a good reason too.

After dropping off Ralph and Lillian at school, Paige charged into HQ. So far they had no case, so people were working on their own projects. The geniuses (and Cabe) looked up when they heard giving her their full attention when they saw the urgency in her face and excitement in her voice.

"Guess what I have just found out. It's Lillian's birthday on Sunday." She announced

"You didn't give us chance to guess Paige." Walter who, annoyed at being denied a chance to be right, while completely ignoring the 'birthday' part of what Paige had said, complained.

"It's just a thing that people say. It's not literal. So as it is her birthday I think we should plan her a surprise birthday since we've no case." She suggested

"I think it's a brilliant idea. "

"You would Cabe. Your EQ is higher than your IQ ." Walter replied

"Birthdays are pointless" Toby argued

"Yeah. Celebrating having a birthday is pointless as everyone has one." Happy added

"Exactly. You only celebrate things that are special." finished off Walter.

"You are celebrating something special, you are alive for another year. The day you came into this world has sentimental value because it gives you an identity like a star sign or Chinese animal and it's the moment your parents lives changed for ever."

"People celebrate _dead_ people's birthdays and you know we don't understand sentimentality." Sylvester pointed out

"Fine, I know you don't get birthdays but we should still celebrate it. It's what normal people do."

"We're not normal." The four geniuses reminded Paige, in unison.

"But alright, we'll celebrate it. How did you find out about that anyway?" Walter questioned, curious as to how, and amazed, Paige found out before the rest of them – especially Toby.

So Paige told them the story of how she discovered the truth.

"That reminds me," Paige said when the story had finished 'By the way Walter, you need to change it as we now know that your Lillian's father."

"Sure, I'll get right on it. Erm, Paige, I know I said we'd celebrate it, but going by what you've told us, I think there is a reason why Lillian didn't tell us her birthday was coming up."

Toby nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah I agree. The signs she's shown point towards her having a good reason as to why she doesn't want us to know so we don't celebrate it."

"Poppycock!"

"Excuse me? I think you've been watching too many British films, and TV shows Paige. Careful or people might think you're British, here illegally then send you back to the UK." Toby joked while Happy slapped the back of his head.

Despite Toby and Walter's concerns they started to buy things for the party. Since there was no telling when the next case was going to be, they had started straight away. With Paige in charge allocating jobs, 'Operation Surprise Party' went smoothly.

"We need to think of a better name then that how about 'Operation Surprise'? That sounds better." Toby had said. So 'Operation Surprise Party' now called 'Operation Surprise', was ago. Though they wouldn't admit it (that would mean saying that they were wrong) all four geniuses had a fun time buying things for the party, from the shop and suggesting what a, soon to be 10 year old, genius would like at their party. (Once they had gotten over the fact it was for a birthday and that a normal genius with a low EQ wouldn't want a party, which was hard enough for them.) Some of the suggestions were immediately shot down by Paige (like having chemicals out and people having to guess them by the properties they had) but most of them, she took on board (like the Periodic Table of Elements quiz and place the digits of PI in the right order.)

Paige had decided to go with a Zodiac theme, mainly Scorpio because that was Lillian's star sign. The irony did not escape Paige. Scorpio was a scorpion. They had the bunting, food and lighting all sorted. The cake just stunning, they didn't have it yet because it took a few days but Paige had gotten plan and a 3-D preview. She was really surprised by how quick they had come up with the plan. She had gone to their office building to tell an expert what she wanted in the cake. She had finished the preview and plan within the hour, printing out two copies, on for Paige and the other for the 'lean, mean, baking machine team' or lmbmt. (Yes that is what they called themselves) It was a galaxy cake, with the all the Zodiac star cancellations on black fondant all around the cake with other starts to. On the top it had Scorpio, and icing that connected stars like dot to dot to spell:

Happy Birthday Lillian

10 today! Lots of love Scorpion

With a fondant scorpion next to the word Scorpion.

 ** _A_ _ **preview** of the cake from www. . To see it, if image not there, type Zodiac cake into google images. _**

Paige was definitely excited for the cake to arrive and hoped that they would finish getting everything for the party that day so all they had to do was set it up the night before in case some hacker sent a missile to foreign soil or something equally bad that would threaten many lives or national security or both. They all hoped that there would be no case on Lillian's birthday because that really would be the spanner in the works and Happy wouldn't be able to get it out.

Luckily the next day, they didn't have a case either. This meant that as everything was ready for the party, they had used to whole day to buy presents for Lillian. Once everything had been brought Paige could finally relax and write up case reports, before the team got a new case, which happened the next day. A submarine lost contact with the surface after it was hacked by someone. Now the week went back to normal and on Friday night, the cake came. It was delivered to Paige's house so Lillian wouldn't see it.

Lillian woke up, on a Sunday, to banging on her door. Infuriated with being woken up, she got out of bed slowly and sleepily opened the door. It was Walter.

"Lill, come down stairs in fifteen minutes"

Lillian peered through the doorway and glanced at the kitchen clock and then took her glance to Walter.

"It's 7:03 in the morning. On a Sunday. Can't you let me have a lie in?"

"No" Walter answered pushing Lillian back into her room by her shoulders. "Go and shower, get changed and be in the garage in fifteen minutes.

Lillian had an idea what was going on but denied to deny it. She found out that was right when she headed down the stairs and the whole of Scorpion jumped out and shouted:

"Surprise! Happy Birthday Lillian!"

Lillian's face went white as tears appeared and she ran off leaving the confused team to wonder what just happened.

"Well, that wasn't reaction I expected. " Paige muttered. "I didn't think she'd not want her birthday celebrated. It's what normal children like."

"How many times do I have to tell you before you listen? It seems to go in one ear and out the other." Walter snapped. "We are not normal. Genius children, especially ones with a low EQ, don't like the same things normals do. Well done Paige, my daughter's upset and it's all your fault."

After a few a seconds in silence Walter said "Someone should go and check if she's alright"

"I'll go" Paige decided as she started to walk towards the stairs

"No Paige, you've done enough today." Walter replied coolly "Toby and I will go."

So the pair walked up the stairs and knocked on Lillian's door.

When they entered they saw her, sitting on her bed. Evidently, she had been crying. Her cheeks were wet, puffy and swollen from tears. Her eyes, glossy and sparkling were red from being rubbed and she was giving the occasional sniff and hiccup.

Toby walked over to Lillian. He knew exactly how to deal with the situation. He knew that Paige would get down to her level, but that that would make things worse. It would make Lillian fell condescended and it was clear that she hated it more than anything, well, that and disappointing people. Instead he spoke calmly.

"Well I know I have a low EQ but that isn't the reaction I was expecting. I am glad I didn't place a bet or you'll have made me lose money."

Walter glared at Toby for talking about gambling to a ni- ten year old who was also his child. Paige had told him that if he'd ever talked about gambling, unless to tell him that it was stupid, to Ralph, she make the punches Happy gives him like soft taps. He thought that now there was another child Toby would assume the rule applied to Lill but clearly they needed to have a conversation with the shrink.

Lillian laughed at this "You must think I'm stupid."

Walter relaxed a bit as Toby had made her laugh but they were still going to talk.

"Lill, in order for me to think you're stupid, I'd have to think I'm stupid as you have the highest IQ ever recorded, and that's illogical considering I'm the leader of a team of geniuses."

Lillian laughed at this too. She was beginning to cheer up and took in a deep breath stopping the hiccups and sniffs.

"We are however, confused." Toby continued. " Here's an idea: go and wash your face and come back and tell us your problem with birthdays."

Lillian didn't really want to share, but nodded before going into the bathroom and splashing her face with warm soapy water. Looking at her reflection she spoke to herself softly, trying to delay the inevitable which of course was an act of floccinaucinihilipilification, (Lillian's favourite word meaning an act that is useless.)

So she went out to where Walter and Toby were waiting patiently. She sat down and after being told to start when she was ready, stood up and walked towards to door.

"I think I want to say this in front of everyone. There's little point in repeating myself."

After walking down to where the rest of scorpion was standing, she began her tale.

 ** _Flash back: Five years ago_**

 _Five year old Lillian looked at the wrapped presents in dismay. It was clear what they all were. The spotty wrapping paper in a rectangle shape was a Barbie doll, the big cube wrapped in shinny blue papering was a Barbie house and the others were accessories and furniture for the Barbie doll and its house. So these were the things that a five year old girl likes. Well, not her._

 _She scanned the look on her Mother's and Jamie's face. Jamie was her 'brother' although she knew he wasn't in anyway related. The DNA results had come back negative, and Lillian knew that as he had a blood type of AB Negative, and her mum had a blood type of A positive, they could not be related as she had O negative blood and her mum was definitely related as she remembered her birth. Therefore, Lillian's father had to have either O negative or positive blood type. O negative or positive, can not produce AB negative with an A. It was impossible._

" _If you're expecting me to be content with Barbie, dolls, accessories, furniture and house, then you seriously need to rethink how well you know me."_

" _Lillian Clarissa Aaliyah O'Brien! Be grateful. Your brother and I spent a lot of time wrapping those"_

" _Hey, it's alright mum. Lilly how do you know words like 'content' at your age?"_

" _I've told you precisely 34 times now – I'm smart."_

" _A genius"_

" _I don't know that yet I haven't had an IQ test."_

 _Jamie smiled at her before picking up his credit card._

" _We'll send the Barbie stuff back." He had said before running out of the door. He never came back._

 _A few months later, a cartel runner contacted them. They had heard about Lillian's skills and wanted her to code for them. Of course her Mother refused, and then they were told they had Jamie. If Lillian didn't do as they were asked, he'd be killed. If she got it wrong, he'd be killed._

 _So five year old Lillian had to code. Only her skills were a little shaky and she made a vital error. So they killed him, right in front of her. The second time round, she was threatened with her own life and did the job correctly (which she realised now, was illogical when they needed her). After that, they left her alone but her mother looked at her in the same way again._

The story had ended and everyone was silent.

"Wow." Someone stated

"Yeah, well that's just the tip of the iceberg."

"I didn't know you had a brother and he wasn't by brother as we wasn't related at all."

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me Toby."

"Lillian, you must not blame yourself for what happened ok? It wasn't your fault." Paige told her.

"I know. So let's get this party started. Sorry for running of like that. You've done a good job with the decorating." Lillian acknowledged. So they started the party. Lillian the theme and the cake, but she loved the presents the most:

A season ticket to the National History Museum, a university level chemistry set, a book called 'The Science of Hacking and Coding, the promise that tomorrow they would start buying things for her room and many more.

Once Lillian had gotten over, what she thought was, the stupidity of celebrating such a regular advent, she had a good time.

Near the end, Walter went over to Paige.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier."

"Don't be. You were angry because someone upset your kid. That's normal. I know you hate that word Walter, and I don't want you to change completely but having a higher EQ will get better results. You, protecting your daughter, shows how much you've improved; I'd have done the same."

Walter and Paige looked on at Lillian, who was laughing with Toby and felt, an emotion that Walter couldn't understand or process, they felt love. Walter was confused by this as he didn't understand emotion at the best of times. He knew that he loved his sister because he knew her for a long time but here, a kid he had only known for a week, he felt nothing but love and that he would do anything to protect her. Paige looked at his face and saw the confusion and knew what he was thinking. He was going to need some help to understand why he wanted to protect Lillian after only just meeting. She was his daughter and that had been proven for him, so even though he only knew her for a matter of weeks, he felt the natural instincts that all parents have to protect their own. Something will happen to make him see that.

* * *

 **So what do you think? Please review, it helps me become a better writer. I know some people don't like negative reviews but I don't. As long as it is constructive criticism I am fine with it. (I don't want hate but advise and helpful criticism is good.)**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: Paternal Instinct

 **A.N**

 **Sorry for the lack of updates! My mock exams are coming up so this'll be the last one until Christmas break.** **Keep reading. Keep happy. Keep enjoying. R & R.**

Lillian looked at her room happily, it was finally done. She'd gone with a white, pink and mint green theme. Her wallpaper was half mint green and white horizontal zig zags and half block pink and her carpet was white and soft. She loved her bed which had draws and cushions. After sitting on her bed for a minute she could hear the garage door slam open so went down to investigate.

Paige had just come in, and was holding a piece of paper. "I don't believe this!" she shouted marching across to where Walter was situated.

"What?"

"The school"

"What about it?"

"There is another teacher training day. Did you not get the letter?"

"Oh I did but I didn't read it I put it in the bin; it wasn't important."

"How can it not be? It's to do with your child. Oh never mind, I'm going to book a sitter, for next week. Hopefully we won't need her but who knows?"

 _A week later_

It was late: very late. Walter was on the balcony stargazing and Toby was still in the garage however, and Lillian couldn't sleep so wondered down the stairs and sat on them. The phone rang, which Toby answered.

"Hello? No he's on the balcony. OK I'll tell him." Then he hang up. He looked up and saw Lillian sitting there.

"Hey Lill, you'd better go back to your room before Walter sees you out of bed. He'll think I let you down here and go berserk, at me though."

Lillian smiled and went back to bed. Two days later Lillian and Ralph were at the sitter's, earlier the team had been called on a case so off they went. They had managed to persuade her to take them to the park, not that they would play there, but it would give them more space to talk. When they arrived, they saw a man wearing a fedora sitting on a bench.

"Hey Isn't that Toby?" Ralph asked

"Yeah. From what I can see, he's upset." She said before turning her head to Felicity, her sitter. "Can we go speak to him?"

Felicity shook her head. "Absolutely not. You might think it is Toby but it might not be."

"Oh come on Fill. How about we go to him and see? If it's not him then we'll walk away if it is then we will speak to him."

Felicity sighed but nodded her head so they ran towards him, and when they found out it was Toby they spoke to him.

"Toby! Hello, fancy meeting you here." Lillian greeted

Toby looked up and smiled while Felicity caught up.

"Hey you two! Don't run off like that. Hello Mr. Cirtus, how are you?"

"Toby, please and it's Doctor Cirtus"

The sitter smiled "Of course sir, I mean Toby. I will be sitting on that bench, kids, come and get me when you've finished."

"Shouldn't you be helping with the case?" Ralph asked

"No"

"But you're apart of Scorpion!"

"That's just the thing. I'm not a part of Scorpion"

"What? OK, you'd better explain."

 _Two hours earlier_

' _Happy start working on the magnetic pulse machine. We'll need it soon. And Toby…" Walter started to order but was interrupted by the phone ringing._

" _Megan? Is that you?"_

" _Oh, so you finally remembered that you have a sister?"_

" _What are you talking about?"_

" _Yesterday, you didn't turn up for my appointment, I thought you were on a case but I found out you weren't. "_

" _I thought your appointment was next week."_

" _It changed to yesterday, I phoned the day before that but Toby picked up. You're telling me he didn't tell you?"_

" _No" he glared at him "Toby didn't mention it, if he did I would have of course gone to it."_

 _And with that Walter hang up before advancing towards Toby. Walter's face showed a deep flair of anger boiling up inside of him. Tony gulped, it was hard for Walter to show emotion so now that his face had a clear sign of being annoyed and angry at Toby, it must mean that Walter was ballistic and that didn't betide well for anyone especially Toby. He reached out and punched him square on the nose._

" _You didn't tell me about Megan! She thought I had abounded her and that made her upset!" He yelled_

" _Hey, calm down kid" Cabe put in but Walter ignored him._

" _Go away Toby, this is top secret and civilians can't watch; only members of Scorpion are allowed in here."_

" _I am though"_

" _Not anymore you idiot! You're fired! Get out of here."_

"People tried arguing with him of course but there was no use, it never is once he's made up his mind. Walter's extremely stubborn like you Lillian." Toby explained after he'd finished his story.

"Did you forget?"

"Yeah I forgot. Long after you'd gone to bed I waited for him to come down but he never did. Eventually I had to go back my flat. The next day I meant to tell him but I forgot after all, she did call late."

"I'll speak to him"

"Thanks Lill but I know your father; he'd never change his mind about this." He grunted looking up at her. He took off his hat which surprised both Ralph and Lillian, as Toby was very attached to it and took it everywhere with him. In fact it was a well-known fact that he stored back-up hats, just in case.

"Yes, and I believe I know why. Think about it Tobes, ignoring me, Walter's the smartest and was before I came here. He's used to that and as he has the IQ that makes him think he's always right, because usually he is. That means, that when he is wrong, he won't listen to reason because…"

"Because no-one else, that he's met anyway, has a higher or the same, IQ as him." Finished of Ralph and Toby.

Lillian nodded before walking back to her sitter with Ralph but before they got to her, she turned to him.

"Pretend you've left your backpack at HQ yesterday."

"Why?"

"Because I am going back there and we need an excuse."

"Then, why do you pretend you lost something? It would make more sense because it's where you live."

"For the simple reason that she knows I have a photographic memory. It would not make sense if I said that I forgot"

"Fine what do you want me to say?"

Lillian smiled and explained her plan.

"Really Ralph, I said don't forget the backpack I specifically remember mentioning that." She grumbled walking towards Felicity.

"Yeah well sorry Lillian but not everyone has an IQ of 260 and a photographic memory." He retorted

Felicity got up to meet them

"Hey what's up?"

"Ralph's left his backpack at the garage the one with our tablets in. We need it for our project."

"Well, there's no need to get your knickers in a twist about it, that's a thing you British say isn't it? Well will go to the garage and pick it up, just don't argue, you two are normally the best of friends. Like siblings almost, surprising really as you haven't known each other long."

Felicity led them too the car leaving the pair to congratulate themselves on their acting before they buckled up and were driven towards the direction of the HQ. Once they got there, Ralph and Lillian left the car, Lillian telling the sitter she'd get the chargers while they hoped that Scorpion was there.

Luckily, the team had not left yet. So Lillian stormed in and marched right up to her dad. The whole team was there and they quite clearly were mad at Walter. From what she knew about that case, Toby was needed to find the perpetrator for the hacking of the ship SS Marine.

"Walter Patrick O'Brien you complete and utter imbecile! Whatever do you think you were doing? Firing Toby when he's the biggest asset to the case? You're being illogical Walter and you know it!" She yelled

Silence fell, no-one really stood up to Walter like that because of who he was – he always thought he was right.

"I beg your pardon? Lillian I fired Toby because he can't be trusted not that it's any business of yours."

"No, you fired him because he didn't tell him about Megan; your reason was purely emotional. You've been 'top dog' for too long. You had the highest IQ before I came and that makes you think that as you were the smartest, you were always right and when anyone tried to say otherwise you disagreed because no-one else had your IQ or better. However, no longer! I have a higher IQ then you: 260. That makes your argument null and void: you're wrong."

Walter listened to this, a nodded his head as she spoke.

"You're right Lillian. I was being illogical and I was wrong." He agreed

"Finally! We've been trying for the last half-hour to get him to see differently. Then you come in, speak for five minutes and he does just that. Well done Lill! Hey here's a new nickname – 260." Happy smiled

Lillian waved them goodbye and grabbed a black used bag so it didn't looked suspicious. For the rest of the day, Lillian and Ralph helped Felicity with her calculus homework. At exactly 7:30 the phone rang: it was Walter telling her that they had finished the case and as they were back it would be more 'efficient to send to kids back to the garage'. Felicity smiled at this and told him that she'd bring them around right away. Ralph and Lillian had told her that Walter used that word a lot and they were right: it was his favourite word.

In the car, Lillian turned to Ralph. "I can't wait for university to start."

"I was just thinking that myself." Ralph smiled. In that moment, Lillian knew that Felicity was right; Ralph was more like a brother to her. Ever since she meet Walter she felt an emotion that she never had before, an emotion, she thought she buried the minute she was born, an emotion that she thought was impossible to comprehend or experience. Belonging. Before Scorpion nobody understood her not even her 'brother' who was heartlessly ripped from her and plucked from the earth like an eyebrow.

"You two are in university? I can't say that I'm surprised. You're in 5th Grade but you helped be with my calculus homework. What university? What year? How long do you go there and when?

"Well, I go to Stanford, second year, Ralph goes to Caltech and he's in the first year. I go every two weeks, during the weekdays; I study online like Ralph, from 4-6. During the weekend, I go to uni, from 10 while 1. I haven't been to the campus yet as in the UK I did my courses online. I don't know about Ralph though."

"My schedule is the same." He replied

"Don't you get tried?"

"Not really. What you have to remember is that the stuff they're teaching, Lillian and I knew in nursery. So we basically have a day of relaxation."

"Wow, well babysitting you two certainly is interesting. Ok, hop out, we've arrived, I need to speak to your parents about when they'll be needing me next among other things" Felicity explained turning round to look at the two geniuses that were before her. She wanted to bring them in next week to talk to her class about her job. Hopefully, they would let them miss a few hours of school considering they already knew it all anyway!

So, closely followed by Felicity they made their way into the garage and after being meet by Walter and Paige, sat on the sofa while the adults – and Felicity, disappeared into the back for a chat. The rest of adults were originally working on their own projects before being asked by Walter to follow them as he wanted to show them something. Of course, this really interested Ralph and Lillian but they were told to stay where they were.

After a few minutes in silence, Ralph saw a pink A5 notebook poking out of Lillian's backpack. Smiling, he carefully removed it and held it in front of Lillian.

"What this then?" he asked

As soon as Lillian realised what he was holding, she leapt up to grab it, by Ralph pulled it away.

"Give it back!" She hissed trying to grab it but Ralph pulled it away again, agian and again.

"But what is it though?" He asked, moving the book away from Lillian every time she got near it.

"None of your business! Seriously Ralph I am not kidding, give it back!"

Ralph smiled and ran away from her.

"If you want it, you're going to have to catch me first!"

"I will catch you Ralph and it won't be pretty!"

So the two child geniuses chased each other around the garage, laughing, enjoying their 'argument'. Ralph ran past Happy's desk.

"Catch!" he shouted, chucking the notebook in the air. Lillian jumped up, bumping Happy's desk in the process. She flew onto the ground as the notebook fell into her hands. She stood up and held it triumphantly. Ralph's face was pale with concern. Lillian turned to see what he was looking at and that was troubling him so much; just in time to see Happy's hard-dive, which she's been working on for a month, crash to the floor and smash into smithereens.

"Do you think they heard that?" Ralph asked. The question was rhetorical but Lillian answered

"I should jolly well think they did!"

Within seconds Scorpion ran into the room. It was clear, that Felicity who wasn't there, had already left, which was probably for the best.

Before, anyone could ask what the loud crash was; Happy saw her project on the ground and Lillian standing near it and jumped to conclusions. She immediately started marching (as a mist of anger descended) towards Lillian who was muttering apologies. Happy wasn't listening but raised her hand quickly, sticking Lillian's check. The force, and surprise, balanced her and send her flying for the second time that day (all be it different circumstances) and falling to the ground, winding her. Tears appeared while time seemed to stop. Lillian could feel her check reddening and was sure that Happy's handprint was visible. She was right. Happy just froze in her spot, all the anger had diminished from her as she realised what she did.

"Happy!" Walter's voice resumed time like a remote. "How dare you hit my daughter‽ Never take your anger out on kids. If you ever, do that to Ralph or Lillian again I'll fire you."

Happy stormed out of the room and Walter went to follow her but was stopped by Paige who nodded in the direction of Lillian who was crying. Walter realised what she was saying and crouched down like she did.

"Are you ok Lill?"

"No, I'm of normal temperature. "

Walter, Sly, Ralph and Toby laughed at this. Paige and Cabe just looked confused making the four geniuses laugh even harder at their ignorance eventually they were in uncontrollable laughter, tears rolling their cheeks. Walter and Toby held each other supporting themselves to stop them rolling on the floor. Sly _would've_ fell to the floor, if he hadn't been sitting in his chair. Lillian and Ralph clutched their sides

"Well you're clearly ok." Cabe said

"No really I am of normal temperature. Check it with a thermometer "

More laughter. Finally, it subsided and Walter sighed.

"I think I'm good Wall"

"Are you sure?"

"How about I have look at her?" Toby asked

Walter nodded "Yes, go with Toby Lill."

"Ok Wall." She replied before following Toby.

"I like that: Wall. May I call you that Walter?" Toby asked

"No."

After being given the all clear, Toby walked up to Walter.

"Did you mean what you said earlier when you said you'll fire Happy if it happens again?"

"Yes. How is she?"

"Who, Happy or Lillian?"

"I'm not even going to answer that."

"She's fine though she's upset again: she's crying."

Walter looked angry. "I am going to kill Happy."

"Don't" a soft voice pleaded. It was Lillian. "You're being illogical again. You never get angry or threaten to fire Happy when she loses her temper. You know that she finds it hard to keep it. Just like when you don't do that to Toby when he gambles or to Sly when he says he can't go to another country for the mission because it involves flying. We all have things to over-come, even you, as you seem to be unable to follow instructions. Scorpion helps us with that. This is the second time that you've fired or threatened to fire someone today. Careful or you'll have no team left."

"260 is right." Toby agreed "You're illogical."

Walter stayed silent. He was clearly thinking. Finally he said "Paige a word upstairs please. Toby that threat I made before about the intercom, still stands. I know where your hats are."

Everyone knew what he wanted to talk about so Paige didn't ask and Walter didn't beat about the bush.

"Was I illogical? Everything Lillian said was true. I fired Toby because he forgot something which is reasonable considering the time he learnt the information and I threatened to fire Happy when she lost her temper which she has done before so many times and I have never had a problem with it."

"No you weren't illogical. Toby hurt your sister and you were angry because you love her. Happy psychically hurt Lillian who is your daughter, and your paternal instinct kicked in. That natural feeling to want to protect your children – and other children as you extended the threat to Ralph." Paige explained but Walter knew she wasn't finished.

"However, you still need to show Happy that you're going to help her and be there for her because that's what being a friend's about. I suggest speaking to Happy, saying that you won't fire her if it happens again but if it keeps happening you will. Explain that we'll keep helping her with her temper but when she's around the kids, she needs to try and keep it."

"When should I talk to her?"

"When she returns."

Happy was already there when they walked down.

Lillian walked up to her "I am sorry Happy. I was an accident. Ralph and I were chasing each other and bumped into your desk."

"No I am sorry; I should have kept my temper."

Walter was beckoning her so Happy left Lillian and followed Walter. Somehow, Toby felt that the intercom would be best left alone.

"I am sorry Walt; I'll make it up to Lillian"

"I don't want you too. You made a mistake. I am not going to hold it against you. Lillian said I was being illogical by treating to fire you for losing your temper. Now, I know she was right and that I was acting on paternal instinct. So here's the deal:

I am not going to fire you if it happens again but I will if it keeps happening. We're going to give you more help with your temper and you're going to accept it but when you're around the kids try harder to keep it. We're going to move on. It's hard being a parent and I'm bound to make mistakes. It would be hypocritical for _me_ to fire you for making one and since I changed my mind about Toby it would be unfair to not do the same."

"I understand is she ok now?"

"No she's normal temperature Toby checked" The pair laughed, and Happy laughed even more when Walter talked about what happened earlier.

When they came down laughing, everyone knew that all the problems were solved.

'Dear me' Paige thought 'We certainly have had our share of drama. Surely that's it for weeks'

But she was wrong it had only just started. The drama was going to get worse than ever before.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Seven: Walk down Memory Lane

 **Sorry for the lack of updates but exams and that I've not had time. It is Christmas holiday now though so expect a few more than before. Sadly, I do have work to do also** **but I will try and update as much as I can.** **Keep reading. Keep happy. Keep enjoying. R & R.**

Ralph and Lillian were in class board out of their skulls.

"I wish there would be a power cut." Ralph muttered scribbling down a calculation that Walter had shown them a previous night.

"Negative on that front, the change of there being a power cut is…"

"0.583%" Ralph interrupted

"Exactly." Lillian looked away across the playground and saw someone walking over to the school. Someone she thought she knew. Her thoughts were stopped by the teacher's voice shouting.

"Lillian and Ralph. Pay attention!" She shouted. "Ralph what was the question I just asked?"

"If anyone knew which question had the answer of 2. However none of them do. It's question 8. 2.47 + -0.47 = 2 "

"Good. Lillian tell me the first 4 answers please"

"Question 1) 1.21*3= 3.63. Question 2) 2.32*5= 11.6 Question 3) 4.16*2= 8.32 and Question 4) 3.24*3= 9.72" Lillian answered without looking up from her book.

"Correct but at least look like you are paying attention please."

Lillian went back to looking out of the window and saw the man getting bigger as he got nearer and the picture got clearer. Ralph bumped her and she turned her attention to him.

"What are you looking at Lill?"

"Is that Cabe?" She asked pointing to the man who was walking towards them. Ralph looked over her shoulder and nodded.

"Yeah, I do believe it is."

"Why is he here? Do you think that he has come to take us on a case?"

Ralph laughed, "Highly unlikely. I doubt that Cabe would get us after all he has four geniuses to help him. No, Cabe will not be entering the classroom anytime…"

Suddenly the classroom door swung open and Cabe came running in. He looked worried and had an air of urgency about it which made the two child prodigies' blood turn cold. He held up his badge so the teacher could see it

"Homeland Security!" He shouted clearly, making the class go silent. "I need the assistance of Lillian O'Brien and Ralph Dineen." The teacher just stood there, open mouthed and nodded her head while Ralph packed up her bag. Lillian, on the other hand, did not move. Instead she just looked at Cabe in complete astonishment.

"Why are we needed?"

"No time to explain 260, on your feet. Scorpion needs you."  
Lillian nodded and quickly packed up her bags. Rose Carswell leaned forward – a girl both Ralph and Lillian despised with a passion.

"What does Homeland Security want with a ten year old and a nine year old?" She asked

"Actually two ten year olds. It was Ralph's birthday a month after mine."

"What does Homeland Security want with two ten year olds? What is Scorpion?"

"Sorry that's classified." Lillian replied putting up her bag and swinging it onto her back. They were just leaving when their teacher spoke.

"Hang on a minute! You can't just leave. How long will they be gone?"

"I don't know. Maybe two days, maybe 5 and as for the 'you can't just leave' I have a letter from the President that says I can." Cabe replied pushing Lillian and Ralph out the door. Lillian leaned into Ralph's ear and whispered "You were saying?"

Cabe took Ralph and Lillian straight back to the garage were the rest of Scorpion and another and whom neither Ralph nor Lillian recognised.

"Now that everyone is here" Walter started "We can begin"

"My mine is Marcus Tyrone Blizzard. I am an agent from MI1. We have had someone hacking into our database, taking out information before threading it back in. The hacker does not read the information; we know this for a fact. We have our best computer experts on the job but they are not being successful."

"Our President heard this and promised the Prime Minster that we would help. That means that all hands on deck including Lillian and Ralph. Plus, Lillian knows the UK better than anyone." Cabe explained.

"I understand Cabe but do the kids have to come? I mean won't it be dangerous?" Paige protested

"They will just help with the coding. Walter might need help plus I have strict orders form the President that says they are helping too. Sorry Paige, I get how you feel. I was parent. I still am, I have you lot to look after."

"Well then" Lillian spoke "If it as important as you said it is, then I suggest we stop talking and start working."

"Good suggestion ki- Lillian. You have an hour to pack, meet back here no later than 11:47." Cabe ordered "Make sure you pack for at least a week. Something tells me that this will be a big one!"

At 11:47 precisely, everyone was present and correct and within half an hour, they were already in the President's private jet. Paige kept speaking to Lillian and tried to get some information about the UK.

"What's the UK like?"

"It's an Island, in the Atlantic Ocean."

"Yes but what is like to live there?"

"Err, not much different from America other than the fact that we used different words for things and we pronounce things differently. It's also older. We have buildings that are 50 times older than America."

"Yes I did know that Lillian."

"Well I didn't know you knew. You're a normal. We assume that you don't know things like that."

"Well, thanks but really what Britain is like? It is really wet?"

"Last year there was a total of 1091mm of rain. If you are going shopping, you have to put a pound coin in the shopping trolley to use it. I don't know of that is a lot because there is no measurement for it." Lillian explained. "I'm a genius remember. We state facts."

"Suppose so. Sorry Lill, I've just always wanted to go to Britain and the one time I get to go, we're on business."

"Yes well maybe if you ask to bad guys nicely they might postpone their evil plans until next week."

Paige laughed "That was funny. That's the thing with you and Walter you are so alike including that you being funny and creaking a joke is rare but exciting occasion"

"I shall endeavour to be more humorous" Lillian stated "But not now. We are going in for landing."

 _Two hours later_

Scorpion were led into an office where Agent Blizzard was already seated.

"Right, I'll start trying to uncover the leak. Toby, try and find some suspects. Lillian hack into the system to find the employees. Sly, you calculate where each suspect might be and Ralph, help him. Happy go through each of the offices with Paige and Cabe you might find something."

Walter started going through the lines of code and defence that the hacker had placed and was succeeding in keeping him out – so far. It has a hard job and it seemed to take a while. Lillian was having a greater success at hacking into their system but then, to her and any other genius, it was easy.

"OK, so it's unlikely that, if it is someone from the inside, that the hacker would be high up. People have loyalty and if they're high up it means they've been here long. That being said, it's unlikely to be someone just starting out. They wouldn't want to risk their job. They are also the ones most likely to come under suspicion by normals" Toby analysed "Hack into the employ flies that are on their 4-7 level. You can do that can't you Lill?"

"Please do not insult my intelligence." Lillian scorned before typing for a few seconds and showing Toby the screen.

After analysing for a few minutes, Toby short listed them down to four people. He tried to narrow it down further but it was hard, he didn't have much to go on. However after a few checks he realised that all four were working that day which meant they could meet them.

So, Toby went over to Blizzard and that was when they ran into trouble.

"Listen snow storm, you've come to ask our help. We are providing that help but we need to speak to Noah Rubbly, Daniel Canola, Robby Townsend and Mia Dryly. They are our four suspects. Speaking to them can help me illuminate the possibility that this was an inside job and therefore helping find who the hacker is. My friend Walter here, is trying to find out who it is but the he or she of course, is blocking him out at every turn"

"I understand that sir, but speaking to the agents is against our policy."

Toby was getting really irate when Cabe came over and tried using his badge to smooth things over, but it didn't work. It looked like Scorpion might fail their first case when Lillian stepped forward.

"Please sir, Mr Blizzard can you get Sir Ellis Douglas?"

"Sir Douglas, little girl, is the leader of MI1. He has no time for little kiddies."

Lillian swallowed her pride the best she could and tried to refrain from 'flying off the handle', as her mum used to say, at being condescended. Instead she tried to give the harsh gentleman her cutest face: a beaming smile showing her teeth and big eyes.

"Please sir. It is very extremely important. I have signatures from lots of famous leaders and I need to have his." She pleaded giving her _puppy dog_ eyes.

The man sighed but went out the room obviously to fetch Sir Douglas.

"How did you know that would work?"

"Two things adults can't resist relationships and cute kids."

Within five minutes, Blizzard returned with Sir Douglas who clearly was annoyed at being disturbed.

"What is it Blizzard? Why have I been disturbed?" He muttered

"Well! In six years, you're still the arrogant arsehole you were when we first meet!" Lillian cried earning herself a glare from Paige and Walter.

"Lillian! Language!" Paige scolded and was about to apologise when he was the look on Sir Douglas' face.

"God bless my soul, after all this time. Lillian Clarissa Aaliyah O'Brien!" He shouted smiling.

"Hello Sir Douglas"

"Come now, I do believe you call me Ellis. How long has it been?"

"Two years, 10 months, 3 weeks, 6 days, 13 hours, 43 minutes and 22 seconds" Lillian replied taking the open hand that Ellis held open.

"Ahh, you're doing that thing again, the smart thing. What brings you here then LCAO?"

"I'm with Scorpion. Ellis, meet Happy Quinn, Toby Cirtus, Paige Dineen, her on Ralph, Sylvester Dodd and Walter O'Brien. "

"Oh, you're the team of geniuses – well apart from Paige and Cabe- that are here to help me."

"Yes we are, and you're correct I'm no genius but I can clearly see that you two know each other. How?" Paige asked

"Well, I did him a favour once a long time ago but let's not get caught up on the finer details."

"Yes, erm Lillian, why did you call me down here?" Ellis asked

"Toby needs to see the people on this list." Lillian explained writing down the names and passing it to him. "However, Snowy here, won't let him speak to them."

Ellis read the names and smiled, "Yes, of course I'll take you to them now."

Toby and Ellis were just leaving when he turned around. "They're Americans Li. Why are you with them?"

Lillian walked up to Walter and pointed to him.

"This is Walter O'Brien" She explained. Ellis, who was still confused, stepped forward, trying to understand why Lillian had introduced Walter a second time.

"Yes, I understand that but..." Ellis started but stopped when the realisation stuck him.

"And the penny's dropped." Lillian smiled while Ellis tried to shake Walter's hand.

"You're Lillian's father? Well, it's a pleasure to meet you sir. I can't tell you how glad I am that Lillian has found her family- one that understands her. If there's one thing that she deserves it's that – to be accepted."

Walter pulled away his hand without acknowledging Ellis who seemed put out.

"Don't mind him; he's got a low EQ. You know how I was; people said was I a cocky rude little brat who would befit from strict discipline? Well, that's the low EQ. The thing that most geniuses have. The thing that stops people understanding us, the thing that makes us loners, the things that means that friends are a luxury. With great intelligence comes great loneliness." Lillian explained.

"I I I understand, Li. Though being with those people has improved you. You're more human but what about Taylor? Li, what happened to your mum?"

"For being more human, you can thank Paige for that, she's translator and helps us in cases where emotion is needed. As for my mum, you can thank Paul Evans, driver of a Red Ford Focus with the registration number KP85 FYZ."

"You mean… she died? I am so sorry Lillian!"

"Why are you apologising? You weren't the driver of the car. Death's fine with me and anyway, it's not like I knew her – not really. Anyway, the more we stand here chin wagging, the longer the hacker is stealing information. Granted, he's not reading it just threading it through the main frame but he could easily change his mind."

So, Toby went to speak to the suspects but when he returned, it was clear that the hacker wasn't one of them.

"Well, we're no closer to identifying the hacker. They can take any information they like and start world war 3 like that," Toby clicked his fingers for effect. "Not good."

"Hey, that's my line!" Happy joked

"Actually, not 'not good'. Very good indeed." Walter announced spinning his chair to face his team.

"What are you babbling about O'Brien?" Cabe asked

'I know the identity of the hacker. It's come up with Terrazzo Hooligan" He explained

"I'm pretty sure, that that's not a name 197" Cabe retorted

"It is Cabe; Terrazzo Hooligan is an anagram for…"Walter began only to be interrupted by Lillian

"Oh my God no! Please not him! Terrazzo Hooligan is an anagram for Horatio Gonzales." She cried "Please anyone but him."

Everyone looked at Lillian who now has as white as a sheet and was shaking with fear.

"Why? Who's he?" Toby asked

"A man I thought I got rid of. The man who I hoped I would never see again. The man who I prayed would never find me and now, he's caught up."

"But who is she?" Toby repeated

"Horatio Gonzales is the man who hired me all those years ago…"

"You don't mean..."

"Yes, Horatio Gonzales killed by brother. He's the guy who killed Jamie."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter nine: We meet again

 **Hey, sorry if you think I have not updated recently, I wanted to spend time with my family. I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, I know I did, and I hope you all have a happy new year. I can't wait for New Year's Day because Sherlock starts again and the question we all have on our lips – no not what day is it, but is Moritarty back? - will be answered. Anyway, enjoy the chapter.** **Keep reading. Keep happy. Keep enjoying. R & R.**

 **Sophie**

"Stupid Stupid Stupid." Lillian shouted smacking her hand against her head before banging it on the wall. She had thought that she'd never hear that name before but obviously she was wrong.

"Hey Lillian stop that." Walter ordered softly but Lillian continued banging her head against the wall in rhythm of her hissing 'stupid' over and over again. So, Walter walked over to Lillian and grabbed her hand to make her listen.

"Listen to me Lillian, listen because this is important. We are never going to let him hurt you ever again. That's a promise. Remember when I told you about the time where Ralph was having trouble at school and I gave him a riddle? Well, remember you're part of Scorpion now, and part of the cyclone. Scorpions are very loyal to those in their cyclone and here, we are the same. You are not stupid. You were tricked. Unfortunately, people take advantage of our intelligence because they see that it can bring them power or joy or whatever it is that they want."

Lillian seemed to calm down a little, and the team started off trying to locate him but as Sly had said, there were too many variables.

"Well, if we can't track him down, then we will have to think about where he might be: no-one choses anywhere at random. In order to find the place where he is we need to get in his head. Now, there's just one person who knows him well and that's you Lillian, for you have met him and he hired you. You aren't like normal people as you're a genius, you'd take note of every aspect of his behaviour and remember it. So tell us – where might me be? Think. He's likely to be in his favourite place so – where's that?" Toby questioned

"Yes, and we need to know his plan. Somehow, I don't think this is a coincidence. I think it's related to why he hired you five years ago. So why did he want you?" Walter asked

All this questioning seemed to panic Lillian and she started hyperventilating. She kept looking at the faces of her family, they were concerned and that seemed to make things worse. She tried but she couldn't remember a single thing of what Horatio Gonzales was like and it terrified her. She was so used to having memories on tap, not even having to think about it, and now, that comfort had been pulled out from under her and she felt like she was falling into a chasm of despair. She asked herself - Is this what it is like for normals? Never had she been so glad that she was a child genius and she thought she never would again.

"I don't know" she stuttered. She wanted so badly to tell them but something was preventing her from remembering and getting the words out.

"Yes you do, you're a genius with a photographic memory. You can easily access those memories." Insisted Walter starting to get annoyed.

"I can't"

"Yes you can. Come on Lillian this is important." Walter tried again this time with more persistence and urgency.

"Walter, leave her." Paige instructed. "She's scared"

"Scared's no use. We need her like she normally is." Walter retorted bluntly

"Yes but shouting at her and pushing hard, isn't going to get there."

"Look Walt, try and track him down again maybe…"

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. You know that Toby, as well as I do."

"Well, right now, kid, insanity is all we have got!" Cabe said, "So get your ass in that chair and start hacking, coding or whatever it is that you do or you're going to find my foot so far up it, it'll need surgery to remove it."

Walter was just going to reply with come cutting and smart aleck response when Ralph stepped forward and put a calming hand on Lillian's shoulder.

"Lillian, it's ok, just take a deep breath and tell us." He said. Lillian however, was ignoring him so he tried again.

"260. Lillian Aaliyah Clarissa O'Brien, are you listening to me? I know, that being here, back in the UK, where all the bullies were reminds you of the time were no-one understood you: remember that story is the same for all of us. I get that him being back in your life, and being there in that way, is bringing back bad memories for you and reminds you of Jamie's death which I know you blame yourself for. You believe that it's your fault because you refused to do what he said, you think that you disappointed him, I understand, and that you think you failed but you didn't fail. You were used and I know that's hard to accept and you wish you could forget it. But I need you to concentrate; I know you know the answer. I know that you remember: you have a photographic memory for Pete's sake. Remember Lilly we love you. I love you, for you're my sister not by blood maybe but if there's one thing that I have learnt from being with these guys, it's that family doesn't have to be by blood. Sylvester, Happy, Toby, Walter, my mum, Cabe and I; we're you're family and were never going to let him hurt you. So, take a deep breath and tell us. Where is he likely to be? What was his favourite place? And: What did he want all those years ago?"

Ralph's words calmed Lillian down and tears started appearing in Paige's eyes. Ralph had sounded emotional: something she had always wanted.

"There's an abandoned warehouse 50 meters, and at 45.84 North West from the entrance of southern entrance of Hyde Park. I am 98% certain that that's where he is. He wanted to me to hack into a bank but I, now, have a feeling that there is a bigger picture here." She told them as they started getting ready.

"Horatio Gonzales. He would be Italian with a name like that." Cabe stated

"No, he's Australian his mother's Italian."

"Ok, we'll go and find that warehouse. You stay here Lillian with Ralph, it's not safe to come with us but keep the comms in we may need to talk with you."

"I think I should come with you."

"No, you stay here. He needs you for something that much is obvious because you're right he could easily hack into any bank, if he can hack into MI1. Whatever he needs you for, it's not good and when we find out I want you a far away from Horatio as possible. So stay here, Ellis will protect you. I am certain we can trust him." Cabe instructed

"That is why I should come with you. Horatio's smart, if he wants to get me, he will and I'm much more use to you with you. I believe that he knew that I found out that Walter was my father and that meant that I would be a part of Scorpion. He hacked into MI and knew that eventually the UK would ask for help from us. I mean, you would, ask the help of the smartest people on the planet. He knew that you'd bring me here; he pulled a 'Toby' on you. This was his plan all along, to get me to come here. I don't know why yet but he needs me." Lillian replied packing up her stuff.

"I really don't think…" Toby started but was soon cut off by Lillian.

"Yeah, well, it's not your decision. It's my past so I have to deal with it and you can either help me or I'll swear to God, I'll do it myself and Toby, don't think too much, I don't want you to hurt yourself."

Ellis stood in Lillian's pathway.

"Move!"

"I have no intention to stop you; God knows what you're like when you want to do something. Promise one thing: be careful. I know you've found your father but I've always felt that you're the daughter I never had. If anything happens to you I don't know what I'd do."

"I promise"

"Don't worry sir; we'll take care of her. Ok then, we'll all go, Paige, do you want to stay here with Ralph?" Cabe assured him.

"No, you may need me for something if this Gonzales guy gets tough. Ralph will have to come too, because unfortunately I do not trust Ellis. I _have_ only just met him. I am not leaving here alone so Ralph will come too but I am pretty sure that he will be well protected."

"If you're coming with me then you'd better be prepared. Horatio's the only person that has managed to beat me in a fight."

"I didn't know that you could fight."

"I told you that there are a lot of things that you don't know about me didn't I?"

"How good are you?"

Lillian smiled and beckoned Toby forward.

"Throw a punch."

"How about no? I don't want to hurt you, for one thing I care about you, and for another thing, you're my boss' daughter."

260 grunted a groan of frustration.

"Just try to punch me. Look, you will not hurt me. If it makes you feel better you can stop just before you get to my face."

Toby hesitated but when Walter gave him a smile of approval, he swung a first towards Lillian's face. As quick as lighting, she grabbed his first and wrenched it behind his back before flipping him onto the floor and applying a karate chop just below his last rib. Toby cried out in pain.

"Ahhh. My Costal margin! Alright I am guessing you're really good at it"

"Wow! I wouldn't want to pick a fight with you. After more than five years of knowing you, you still never cease you surprise or amaze you. How did you learn that?" Ellis asked

"I have black belts in 22 martial arts, with ten dans on 15 of them. I learn quickly." Lillian explained

"Why didn't you say that before?" Toby asked, rubbing his left side. "I would have known that you were telling the truth. Remember Lillian, I am a behaviourist, I can easily tell when someone is lying."

"I felt the others would benefit from a demonstration."

"I like that idea. I am glad I was here; I would never miss a chance to see you be put on the floor by force. Especially when the person doing it is a ten year old who is half your size." Happy said smiling.

"You would."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Only that you enjoy violence"

"Well, if you don't shut it then you'll be reviving it again and I won't go easy on you like 260 did."

"Excuse me; sorry to interrupt the lover's tiff but we've got a criminal to catch." Lillian shouted.

Walter stepped forward "Lillian's right. For some reason that remains to be see, he wants Lillian. Now is not the time for petty squabbles."

"But now is the time for non-petty ones?" Toby asked.

Happy punched him below his sternum. "Shut it doc."

"Ouch my Xiphisternal joint! What's this beat up Toby day?"

"Everyday is beat up Toby day as far as I am concerned." Happy replied before following the rest of the team out the door.

They went in search of the warehouse and with the help of Lillian and Toby, within ten minutes they had found it and had entered the building. It was exactly in the place where Lillian had said it was. The place was abandoned but it was clear that someone had recently left. There was a laptop on the table.

"He was here. Feel this, it's still quite warm. This particular make and model takes an average of thirteen minutes to cool down." Lillian informed them.

"Then he can't have gotten far. Happy and Toby search this building from top to bottom. Cabe, you and I will go around the local area and try to find him. Sly, take Lillian and Ralph back to MI1 with Paige, if you see anything speak to us."

Nobody argued, they knew that now wasn't the time, each second counted and each minute that passed, meant that Horatio could be getting further and further way. So, they separated, each about to do what Walter had told them. Paige turned around, to leave, when they heard a clatter of a metal pipe.

"Oh, there's no need for that now, is there?" a mysterious voice with a Scottish accent grunted.

"Now, there's no need to use one of your accents is there?" Lillian replied, copying him almost exactly.

"As you wish, after all it's not much to ask from an old friend is it?" The voice, now an Australian, answered, before laughing evilly. The kind of laugh which would send a shiver down the most unnerving of people.

"Come out of the dark." Cabe ordered, getting ready to defend himself and the figure obeyed coming into the light.

He was a tall man, around 6'7'' and had a brown beard and black matted hair. He had heterochromia, so his left eye was green and his right, brown. On his right check he had a lengthy scar, perhaps 10 cm in length. He smiled, revelling pristine white teeth.

"Hello Lillian O'Brien." Walter placed a protective arm in front of Lillian and Ralph which was noticed by Toby but he knew that now, was not the time for psychoanalysis at least, not of him.

"I don't believe we've meet. Hello: Cabe Gallo Homeland Security, Sylvester Dodd human calculator; Happy Quinn mechanical protégée, Toby Curtis, world class shrink, Paige Dineen, the human and world translator, Ralph Dineen child genius and, the leader, V.I.P and Lillian's father, Walter O'Brien genius hacker."

"How did you know about us?" Sly asked nervously while Paige stepped into front of Ralph.

"He has his ways. If he didn't hack his way into the information, he got it through his many informants." Lillian replied

"We meet again Horatio Gonzales."

 **So, I want to know:**

 **How do you think Horatio learnt his information?**

 **Just leave a review or private message me.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten: A Mutual Friend

 **Hello readers! Happy New Year, I hope you enjoyed celebrating it. Hope you enjoy the chapter.** **Warning: there is a mention of shooting and decomposing. Keep happy. Keep enjoying. R & R.**

"What do you want this time Gonzales?" Lillian asked

"If I told you that then, you it would ruin the surprise. I thought you were smart but clearly if you think that you'd escape me, then, you are not." Horatio answered.

"Don't listen to him Lillian." Paige whispered but Gonzales' sharp ears heard it.

"How rude. Well, I can't stand here chatting. I have a kidnapping to complete." He responded and before anyone could realise what he said, he ran forward with one whack to his face, knocked down Walter with a loud THUMP! The noise resonated off the walls. Again, before anyone could react, he grabbed Lillian and ran out the door leaving an obstacle course behind him, blocking of his path and inhibiting the team from giving chase immediately; they were left discombobulated.

"What just happened?" Paige asked

"That man has lighting quick reactions. Come on, we have no time to lose. You alright kid?" Cabe asked

"Yeah fine. Cabe we need to find her. I promised her I'd keep her safe. It's all my fault. If I hadn't…"

"Right now, we need to locate her. We can't do that if you're wallowing in self-pity. It wasn't your fault and we need to start finding Lillian. We have five geniuses at our disposal. We can find one man with distinguishing and highly recognisable features and one ten year old child protégée."

Walter had heard what he had said and thanked him. He started ordering the team about but when things started failing he started babbling and Happy slapped him in the face to get him to snap out of it.

"Thanks Happy. That is just what I needed."

"No problem. Any time boss."

Ralph was a big help because out of all of them, Ralph seemed to know her the best: they were like siblings. Ralph told them what Lillian would be like, if she would follow orders of if she would leave a trail.

"She'd do what he said, then when we get to speak to her will try and provide us with the information needed."

"And how do you know we would get a chance to speak to him?" His mum asked

"Easy. Kidnappers always have a reason for it. The main reason is because they want something so will call them to ask for something. It's my bet that it isn't money. You can kidnap any kid and do that. Why go to the trouble of finding Lillian and getting her to come when there are so many things that can go wrong? Because Lillian's a genius living with a team of geniuses. No, the kidnapper wants Lillian do something for him and will use the fact that he has her, and therefore can kill her, to emotionally black mail Walter to not to intervene."

"I have no emotions."

"Yeah you do 197. Especially when it comes to Lillian.

"Okay. Horatio took his laptop; look it has gone. We can try and trace it." Sylvester pointed out.

"No can do. He didn't take it; he smashed it." Walter replied.

"No, but she does have my phone on her." Paige explained. "I gave it to her in MI1, I wanted her to hold it for me but she never gave it back."

"Good. We can trace it. I'll start that right away."

Someone's phone went off.

"Whoever's phone that it switch it off." Walter ordered, annoyed at being disturbed.

"Walter..."

"Not now Sly I am doing something."

"Walter, it's _your_ phone! It says 'unknown caller.' Sly tried again, ignoring Walter.

Walter stopped what he was doing singled to Sly to pass it to him, he did and Walter went to accept the call.

"What, you're just going to accept it? Do you know how many viruses could be on there?" Sly asked, feeling his pulse.

Walter singled him again, this time, for him to be quiet.

"This is Walter O'Brien and the rest of Scorpion. Who are we speaking too?"

"This is Horatio Gonzales. No doubt you're trying to track Paige's mobile but that will not work. It has been smashed. However, don't worry Mr O'Brien, your daughter will be returned to you safely, if you do what I say, follow my plan."

"What plan is that then?" Walter asked

"I want you two to hack into the CIA and FBI and copy files before handing them to me."

"Why do you need two of us? I could do by myself, just like Lillian."

"I did not ask that you question me, only that you follow me." Was Horatio's quick response. "I shall give you five minutes to decide. Then I will call you and I would advise you to answer."

"We have minutes to think of plan." Walter stated, trying to think. "Come on! I need ideas here!"

"I'm trying Wally but it's like there is a big wall between me and getting an idea." Toby replied.

"A wall! That's it. Lillian puts a wall up, so it looks like I am hacking into the CIA and FBI when really I am creating flies that give him useless information and by the time he realises, we have freed Lillian and Cabe would have called MI to arrest him." Walter explained.

"How are we going to get Lillian to know what to do?"

"Leave that to me." Walter answered picking up his ringing phone.

"Well?"

"We will do what you say. May I speak to my daughter so she does what you say?"

"Fine. Oh, Lillian! You're dad wants to speak to you!"

"If you put yourself in a dangerous situation, it would be like putting a wall up between us. We need you to have a calm head on your shoulder and follow his plan." Walter told her.

"Ok Wall, I get it." Lillian answered before hanging up.

Walter immediately started working, making it look very realistic that he was hacking into the CIA and FBI. It took a long time because if it took a few minutes then it would be suspicious. Finally, they had finished it and Walter had posted it to Horatio how within minutes rang again. Walter immediately answered it.

"Thank you so much. Sorry but I am not a man of my word. Luckily as you were good at following orders and were cooperative I shall give you time, your daughter dies with the hour. Any last words Lillian?"

"You said we are a family. I have never had one and this past month has been the best. If anything happens then promise me: look after each other. Before we came here, I wanted to tell you one thing about my life in England. Listen please. I used to have a friend called West and we used to call him money bank because he was rich. I mean, he lived in Westminster and had a building named after him when he was three."

The phone call ended at Paige puts an arm around Walter to reassure him, and another around her son.

"I am so sorry Walter." Paige Whispered.

However, Walter was smiling. "I know where is she is."

"How?"

"She did the same thing we did. She stressed certain words. If you take these words you get 'West Bank. Westminster building three."

"Are are you sure?"

"Yes, I know my daughter. We know where she is so we can save her." Walter replied. "Time to get a taxi. Paige, take Ralph back to MI, it might not be safe for him here."  
"Yes!" Toby shouted

"What's up with you then?" Cabe asked.

"I have always wanted to ride a London taxi." Toby answered.

So the rest team Scorpion entered a Hackney Taxi and Walter gave the driver the destination, while Paige and Ralph entered another one and went as far to MI1 base as they could. The team began trying to locate building three which didn't take too long to discover. When they did find the building, Cabe went first, holding his gun up, to be followed by the rest of the team. When they came to the room which Lillian was being held, they stopped just outside the door.

They heard Horatio's voice speaking to Lillian.

"You have 45 minutes left on this earth. That's enough to watch an episode of QI XL. I know that you enjoy that."

"Go to hell Horatio. If it existed." Lillian answered. "Can you move your gun? It's cold."

"Is that supposed to sound clever? It's just lame. How do you know there's no hell?"

"I am a genius. I believe in things that have proof. Hell breaks the laws of physics therefore cannot exist. It's not like you'd understand, you're not a genius."

"Well, in 45 minutes, you'll find out."

"Actually 44 minutes and 15 seconds."

"You're far too cocky for a kid who is about to get a bullet through their cranium."

Walter went to charge through the door when Cabe pushed him back to the wall. "Walter, no. Let me go first. You stay here and come on my queue." He hissed. "You're thinking emotionally. Not logically."

Walter nodded knowing that he was speaking the truth. So Cabe entered slowly walked into the room.

"Freeze! Put the gun down."

"No, you put the gun down or I shot Lillian."

"Please, you have what you want, leave Lillian alone. She's just a kid." Walter pleaded, trying to distract Horatio. Toby caught onto the plan and joined in, hoping that Lillian would realise what they were trying to do.

"I know you're a good man, you breathing is irregular that means you are nervous and that means that you know that what you're doing is evil, so put the gun down and let the kid go." he analysed (although this was false.)

"What? And let all my work, finding someone close to Scorpion and hacking into MI, go to waste?" Horatio asked, turning his attention to the team.

This was Lillian's que, as Horatio was distracted; she jumped up and disarmed him. Then she punched him in the liver. Cabe caught the gun that Lillian chucked at him and pointed both guns at him.

"Don't even think about moving." Cabe ordered while Lillian ran towards Walter who hugged her, thankful that she was okay, followed by Happy, Sly and Toby. (Well Sly more of touch her elbow with his) They'd grown attached to Lillian now, just like they had Ralph and they didn't want to see her get hurt after all, they were family.

"I am so glad you're okay" Happy told her

"I knew I would be okay. I have you guys. You'd said that you'd never let him hurt him me again and we only state facts right?"

"Correct Lill, come on, let's go; Paige and Ralph are worried about you."

Cabe phoned MI and told them Horatio's location; they had brought him back to base.

Ralph ran out and hugged Lillian.

"Hey sis, so glad that you are unharmed."

"Sis?"

"Yeah, I told you. You're my sister."

"And you're my brother. You know, this has been so much better than school."

Ralph laughed at that. "I would agree with you there."

Cabe got off the phone before walking to Lillian. "Horatio's going to spend the rest of his life in a super max."

"I am glad but can I speak to him before I go?"

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Please Cabe, he killed Jamie and left him to decompose in a skip like he was rubbish."

Cabe sighed "I'll have to ask Walter."

Cabe went up to Walter who was talking with Toby.

"You know Lillian's made you more human. You were protective today, when Horatio started talking to Lillian; you put an arm around her and Ralph. You hugged her when she escaped when you hate physical contact. Having a daughter, a child has made you a better human. We all have a long way to go, Lillian included but with Paige's help, we will be fine."

"Toby now in not the time for analysis. What is it Cabe?"

Toby sighed Walter always said that when he just didn't like what Toby was saying.

"It's Lillian; she wants to speak to Horatio before she leaves. Is that okay with you?"

"Sure as long as we are all there." Walter answered.

So Lillian, along with the rest of Scorpion went outside to see Horatio. Ralph was stopped from moving forward by his mum who put two arms across him in an 'x' shape.

"I told you that you would never out smart me and that goes for my team too. You might have killed Jamie but know I have another brother, one who understands me and if you hurt him then I will not be so forgiving, I am an expert hacker, and I have another one too help me. Touch him and the threat that Walt made to Cabe will be the same. I will erase you. Now, I have a new family. I have a father, a grandfather, two aunts and two uncles and a brother. I am not the kid that no-one gets, the freak I once was. I am part of Scorpion, part of the cyclone, and you are the Meerkat."

"I guess I underestimated you,"

"You did. We have an IQ over 1000 now. Not just below 700." She looked back at the rest of the team who smiled. They got the reference Horatio, of course, did not.

"There is one question that I want to know the answer to. In fact, it has already been asked. 'How did you find out about us?' I would like to know. I know that you're smart but you're not that smart, I don't think your smart enough to hack MI either. I put your IQ at around 155-160 at most."

"Ahh you're still the wise-ass kid with a smart mouth. You say that I'm not that smart yet I manged to outsmart you, at least, I know something you don't."

"No if you recall I said you were smart but not that smart. Just answer the question."

"I got it from a mutual friend of ours or rather; everyone expects yours Lillian, and you lot should expect him to turn up sometime in the near or distant future. His name: Mark Collins. Goodbye."

At that moment MI took him away and Lillian waved goodbye to her past as it flew away in the distance. When she turned around she took in the pale faces of her family and knew that whoever this Collins guy was, it was bad news and that he was telling the truth when he said that they knew him.

"Clearly he was being sarcastic."

"Well, you know what they say Aussies are good at sarcasm."

"That's us Brits dim-wit."

"I was being sarcastic." Toby responded

"I know I was being obtuse." There were a few sniggers

"Anyway, I have two very important questions. Who is Mark Collins? And why do you all hate him?" Lillian asked.

No-one answered her question; instead, they stared at each other with an uncomfortably worried look on their faces.

The only response she got was Happy's catchphrase:

"Not good."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 Coincidences

 **A.N.**

 **Sorry for the lack of updates, I have an Art GCSE to prepare. I also have a Controlled Assessment for History. It has been crazy and I may not have another update until June. Don't worry though; I am not stopping this story. I don't know where the end will be maybe there won't be one. Anyway I am rebelling. Enjoy. Keep reading. Keep happy. Keep enjoying.**

"Ok someone had better start explaining right now." Lillian ordered collecting her suitcase in the airport.

"Nothing Lillian" Walter said for about the 22nd time. Lillian dropped her suitcase, turned around to face the team, before sitting on it and crossing her arms.

"No. I just got off an 11 hour flight. Well 11 hours and 15 minutes to be precise. That's 11.25 hours of sitting through you lot being silent with a face that looks like you can smell sour milk, while being told that your whole family has been killed…"

"Lillian nothing's..." Happy started

"No you had 11 hours 15 minutes and 13 seconds to talk and now it's my turn. Honestly, I had to put up with all the worried looks and only to be told that everything's okay? No that's not how it works we are a team. I was this close." She interrupted, holding her thumb just below her fingers for effect before continuing. "To moving next to the snotty nose seven year old three rows down form us. You know that I can find out in a minute who Collins is. So Walter, if you like efficiency so much, just tell me."

Cabe put a hand on Walt's shoulder. "She has a right to know kid." He told him before moving away obviously (to everyone but Lillian) to phone Collins' prison.

"Ok now you're scaring me."

Walter sighed and crouched down to her level. "Collins was a previous member of Scorpion. One of the brightest minds. However things got weird. He could make you doubt yourself, your every move and make you think that you made a mistake until you did."

Then Happy continued. "He'd often go into a rabbit-hole state. That's…"

"I know what a rabbit-hole state is. Never been through it though."

"Well, your dad did. It took me two months to get him out. Long story short, it wasn't pleasant. Then Walter got him admitted to a mental asylum and a few months before you came here, Collins turned up. He claimed to be able to stop a nuclear meltdown but he tricked us. We outsmarted him and he got arrested."

"I understand why you didn't tell me"

"That was the prison. Collins is still locked up. They are going to keep extra guards by his door." Cabe explained.

When the team got back to the garage they continued their conversation.

"I don't think Collins is going to be in prison for much longer." Walter stated.

"That would not be good." Lillian agreed. The rest of the team looked at her weirdly.

"What? Ok I know I didn't know who he was half an hour ago, let alone ever meet him. However from what I've heard and what you've said, Collins = bad news like E=MC2."

"Well, you're right on that right on that front. Collins is bad news. Last time we beat Collins but only just and we had four geniuses."

"Yes, but now we have six."

"Six?" asked Walter

"Four plus two is six..."

"You mean you and Ralph help? I don't think that's a good idea. Collins is dangerous and smart, plus you two can't miss more school."

"You just said that you only just succeeded with four geniuses. Now with six geniuses we have more change of winning and as for school, come on, you know we won't miss anything. To deal with Collins we need all hands on deck or rather, all brains on deck."

"I hate it when you use logic against me. Paige what do think?"

"They can help with Collins but from the garage. No going near him."

"Collins is a jerk." Happy added.

"Well as much as I'd like to complain about Collins until I'm blue in the face and nearly dead from asphyxiation I am knackered. So I am going home and going to bed." Toby yawned.

Happy turned to Toby. "You're beginning to sound like Lillian."

"Knackered is a perfectly good way of saying you're tired"

"Yeah but it only sounds good when Lillian says it, you know, the actual British person."

"You can hardly talk Happ. Yesterday you called a faucet a tap and a wrench a spanner." Lillian put in.

"Yeah but that was different. I was in B&Q and needed to know where they were."

"You didn't know?" Lillian asked frowning slightly. Why did Happy need them anyway? Oh yeah she needed it to help Walter.

"I've never been in B&Q before, so no. I needed to find out where they were and unless I called them a tap and spanner then I wouldn't get anywhere."

"You should have just asked me. I've been in that B&Q several times."

"Yeah I would've but you were not there."

"Oh yeah I forgot. I was kidnapped. Sorry, about that. Next time I'm there."

"Look" Walter suggested "We are all tired so how about we pick this up tomorrow?"

It was a good thing, a good thing indeed, that the next day was a Saturday because all eight of them slept until noon. At four, they all assembled and it was decided that until Collins was heard from, they had to go about their lives as normal; or as normal as Scorpion could be with six people with the top ten highest IQs recorded as well as the lowest EQs recorded.

The weekend went too quickly for the child geniuses and they were left being board in class. For Lillian, boredom, meant trouble. So she took her mind to Collins, when Ralph tapped her shoulder. Lillian looked at Ralph who indicated the teacher.

"Lillian! Stand up! Why are you daydreaming?" The teacher asked.

Lillian obeyed and spoke. "I was not daydreaming. I was in deep thought, there is a difference. "

"And what where you in deep thought about?" C

"That is not a matter I wish to discuss that with you or the class."

"You don't wish to discuss it? I am sorry did I give you the impression you had a choice? Very well I will ask you a different question: 'Why weren't you doing your work?"

"Well obviously I do have a choice as for the other question I believe that you already know the answer that question but for the record I shall answer it. I have already finished. Maybe if you gave me and Ralph some harder work then we wouldn't be on deep thought so much. You can get a lot of university level stuff on the internet so you can print them off with the answers. I know you won't get, you're too thick. You got D's through high school and just scraped a C when you resat them in college. I thought you had to get a C first time but I wouldn't know. I am a foreigner I do not know how the American school system works. However I thought even this country had standards."

Mrs Ramp's face went from an angry shade of scarlet to an even angrier shade of burgundy. "O'Brien! How dare you! Come here." She shouted Lillian walked towards her and picked up the piece of paper that as was held out for her.

"Go to the Principal's office. Now! Give the note to her and do not read it."

Lillian smirked and went pass her desk to pick up her bag. Ralph leaned forward.

"What did you go and do that for? You know Walt's going to ground you and the garage isn't as much fun when you're not there. Who else can I complain about school to?"

"Sorry Ralph but anything to get out of here."

"While I have to sit and do nothing."

"I know. Don't do what I just did. I know it hypocritical and I am trying to improve it's just…"

"Low EQ, I get it. We all have things that are wrong with us. You hate being condescended and your reaction to that is that you are lippy."

"Lillian, I said now. Empathsis on the word 'now' and Ralph stop talking to her or you'll find yourself in the timeout room during fun free time."

Lillian looked at her teacher and tried used her most polite voice she could.

"Please Ma'am, don't get mad at Ralph. My brother was telling me to behave and be quiet." Lillian hated addressing the teacher this way because it implied that she was somewhat better than her. However if it meant getting Ralph out of trouble and into Mrs Ramp's good books: it was worth it. They did have a special bond and Lillian would do whatever it took to protect Ralph, knowing that he'd do the same.

"Well maybe you should listen to him then. I do apologise Ralph. What do you mean 'brother'?"

"Ralph's like a brother to me and I'm like a sister to him so we call each other brother and sister. Family doesn't have to be blood." Lillian explained before leaving the classroom.

When she got to the office she knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Lillian walked through the door and sat down on the seat in front of the desk.

"Ahh Lillian." The principal smiled "What may I do for you? Is it about that note you have in your hand?"

Lillian nodded and passed the note to the Principal. She hadn't read it but as the light caught it she read it through the paper. It said:

Principal Warner

In lesson today Lillian was extremely disrespectful towards me. She implied that I was unqualified to teach and stated that, and I quote 'I thought even this country had standards'. She also appeared to know my educational history, a thing I have never shared. Please explain to her the appropriate behaviour in a classroom and give a suitable punishment for her misbehaviour. I would also like to know how she found out my grades through high school.

Mrs Ramp

"I see."

"If you want to know how I knew her grades, I found out."

The principal frowned but didn't ask as she didn't want to know. She'd tell the teacher that Lillian had heard a rumour.

"Do you know what respect is, what it the definition is, I mean?"

"Respect, noun, a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements. It is also having due regard for the feelings, wishes, or rights of others."

"Correct. Have you swallowed a dictionary?"

It was a joke but Lillian took it seriously. "No, I've just memorised it. Swallowing a dictionary would be impossible. You'd choke… oh you were joking."

"Was it respectful or disrespectful, the way you spoke, to Mrs Ramp?"

"Disrespectful."

"Good. So you knew you did wrong?"

"Yes"

"Yes…"

"Yes ma'am."

"I meant 'yes Principal Warner' there's no need for 'ma'am'"

"Yes Principal Warner."

"Well, as you know you did wrong I am not going to give you a lecture on appropriateness in the classroom."

"Good" Lillian replied picking up her bag.

"Stop. That does not mean, and do not think it for a minute, that that means you are getting away scot free."

Principal Warner opened the top draw of her desk and took out a little pink notebook and wrote something down before handing it to Lillian.

"A week's detention?"

"Correct. You'll spend each night next week after school for an hour with a different teacher. Next weekend, Mrs Ramp will see you on Saturday for two hours. If there are any more reports of misconduct then you'll find yourself in a Sunday detention. To be honest, I am getting fed up of seeing you in my office or outside a classroom because you've been send out. Consider this your final warning, next time you'll be spending two weeks in ISS. Then, if you get in trouble again in the same term then you will be suspended."

Lillian was just about to say 'I thought you said you weren't going to lecture.' When she realised that it would be best to shut up.

"Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Principal Warner." She answered, she could sense the conversation was coming to an end but her EQ was high enough to know that she should wait to be dismissed.

"One thing, before you go. I will have a word with your teacher, to get you two more advance work to do. I know that even that will be easy for you but it will keep your mind occupied for longer."

"Why?"

"I don't believe that you're naughty for no reason, no-one is. I also don't think it's fair to just threaten you with punishment and that I should help you too. All I ask is that you try as well. Can you do that?"

"I can."

"Good. Then you're dismissed. Apologise to Mrs Ramp."

When Lillian and Ralph got home, Walter was not there.

"Hey kids. How was the dismal depth of boredom known as school?" Toby asked

"Terrible as usual." Lillian answered. "I got sent to the Principle today."

"Oh Lillian!" Paige muttered (Lillian hadn't mentioned this before)

"I'm sorry." Lillian answered messing with the sides of her punishment slip.

"What's that?" Happy asked holding her hand out.

Lillian sighed. "Punishment slip."

The pink slip was handed around.

"Wow. Detention for six days, you really must have been bad for that." Toby whistled trying to hold in laughter.

"Yeah well I glad me getting in trouble is funny for you. If I step out of line again I am getting ISS and then I will get suspended."

"Well you'd better behave then. " Happy told her.

"Walter is not going to happy when he finds out." Sylvester added.

"When I find out about what?" a voice asked.

Heads turned to see Scorpion's leader standing in the doorway.

The slip was handed over and the story retold. Walter looked at Lillian who smiled and walked into the back.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I am going to start making that robot with Happy." Lillian replied, walking towards Happy's desk.

"No you're not. You're grounded."

"What are you talking about?"

"I am talking about the fact that you are grounded, for three weeks."

Lillian glared at Walter. How dare he chastise her, when he does the exact same thing himself? All Lillian could think about was how Walter was wrong, not how she was wrong. She completely ignored him and started working on the plan for the robot.

"Lillian. Did you hear me? I said you're grounded."

"Oh I heard all right 197, believe him I heard every word: unfortunately." Lillian replied drawing the wiring.

"Then why aren't you in your room?"

"Three reasons. One you didn't tell me to. Two, you can't make me and three, I don't listen to hypocrites."

Walter started getting angry at his daughter.

"Don't speak so disrespectfully."

Lillian rolled her eyes that was basically that the teacher and the principal had said.

Walter felt his anger rising.

"Everyone leave. Now. This is between me and my daughter."

The team filled out and as soon as the last person walked out the door, sparks flew.

"What do you mean – hypocrite?"

"I mean dumbass that you are disrespectful to people too. Why, I remember only last week, Cabe yelled at you for mouthing off at Merrick." Lillian replied still colouring in without looking up.

"I said don't speak to me like that. Lillian look at me." Walter ordered and when she didn't respond, walked towards her and stanched the pencil and paper from her and putting it where she couldn't reach. This worked at Lillian turned her head to face her father.

"I understand and you're right I should behave the same way. That's why I try hard to do the same and why Cabe tells me off when I don't do it. As you're my daughter you're my responsibility. So go to your room Lillian because like it or not, you're not leaving here for three weeks except for school."

Walter had said it quietly and calmly but Lillian was still annoyed.

"I hate you! You're the worst dad ever!" she yelled running up the stairs.

"Make that four!" He shouted back before hearing the door slam.

On Saturday Lillian was led to the classroom. She saw a caretaker but was certainly very suspicious of them as they were cleaning a floor that was already immaculate.

"Lillian come on, the sooner you start the sooner we can all go home."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Write your lines first then when you have done that you can sharpen all the pencils. If you finish that, come to me."

Lillian sighed and sat down. Every day of her detention she had to write out 500 times 'I must not be disrespectful and I must not listen to rumours.'. She was just getting to line 300, when the door was locked.

"I knew it." Lillian said

"You knew what?"

"I knew that that caretaker was dodgy."

Mrs Ramp tried the door but it didn't work. "How did you know?"

"He was cleaning a corridor a spotless corridor. Toby's taught me how to spot a person acting suspiciously. There's no point trying that door it is locked."

"Well we need to get out."

"I know." Lillian replied standing up and digging something out of her bag.

"What's that?"

"My lock pick set. Luckily I never leave home about it. I am going to pick the lock and see what I can find out. I have a feeling that man is with someone else."

"Absolutely not! It is not safe and you are in detention."

"Look, I can take care of myself. I need to find out their plan so then I can help I think that is more important than punishment." Lillian replied.

She broke through the lock in a matter of seconds.

"How did you do that?"

"I am surprised that you haven't noticed yet but Ralph and I, are geniuses. As are my father, and three other adults that are my friends. "

"Okay now we escape"

"No now I spy on them on them while you stay here. I'll lock the door and use the mannequin to make it look like I am still here. They cannot know that we suspect something."

The teacher was uncertain. "Trust me, I can defend myself. I know what I am doing I have an IQ of 260."

Before she could get an answer Lillian was out the door and had locked it. Creeping carefully, she hid around.

"Acestea sunt tratate cu?" She heard one voice asked

" _Are they dealt with?"_

"Da şi ei chiar nu dau seama." A deeper voice replied

" _Yes and they didn't even realise"_

"Şi dacă o fac?" A third voice questioned

" _And if they do?"_

"Ei bine, este doar un copil şi o douăzeci şi ceva profesor."

 _"Well it is just a kid and a twenty something teacher."_

"Bună, pentru că nu putem avea cineva perturba planurile noastre."

 _"Good, because we cannot have someone disrupt our plans."_

"Ştiu. Vreau Obama mort de mult ca să faci."

 _"I know. I want Obama dead as much as you do."_

Lillian peeked around the corner. She knew that the people were speaking Romanian but that didn't mean they were from Romania. She spotted a tattoo. The coat of arms of Moldova. However she knew that the more time she spent outside the classroom the more chance she had of being caught and that would be, as Happy would say, 'not good'.

When she got back she noticed that her teacher was on the phone.

"There's no point. They've blocked communication." She told her taking her phone form the teacher. She began to override it. I t only took a few minutes before she started punching in the number for the garage.

"I thought you said they'd block communication."

"I did but not any longer. It is easy for me to override and I find it fun too. I guess you could say that it is child's play."

"What are you doing?"

Lillian ignored her as the line on the other side picked up.

"Hello? Listen Walter there's not time to explain. There's some Moldavians here and they are planning to assassinate the President."

"How did you know this?"

"Look I will explain everything once you're here. When you're here tell me. I will have to override the security system."

"Okay. I trust you we will come."

They did too. Lillian knew that Happy would be driving. So she was not surprised when five minutes later they had already arrived and she was hacking the doors. Lillian led them through and told them everything and when they had finished being briefed, they heard a loud crash.

Lillian immediately started hacking the security cameras and they saw three men leaving.

"Not good."

"Why would three Moldavians want Obama dead?"

"I don't know Cabe but how about we capture them first? We can question the reasons why later." Walter suggested and Cabe nodded in return.

"I have just had a brilliant idea. Lillian, bring up the footage." Sly shouted and when Lillian did what he asked, pointed to a blue Volkswagen Golf R.

"There. Number plate TKB 859. We can track it."

"How? I mean, with just a number plate." Mrs Ramp asked.

"You're speaking to the man who hacked into NASA when he was 11 and his daughter who is probably better than him at it. A number plate is all I need." Walter explained while tapping away at his laptop.

"Okay we have them! Come on we haven't got much time to lose." Lillian shouted but Walter put a hand on her chest, pushing her backwards.

"No, you need to stay here and finish your detention. Thanks for your help but it's not safe."

Lillian sighed "Hands up everyone who is fluent in Romanian."

When only her hand went up, Walt knew that they needed Lillian. The chase was on and the team were gaining on them. They were getting away but Cabe managed to shoot their back tyre.

The men were arrested and brought back to Scorpion HQ. Lillian listened to Cabe interrogate the three men whose names were Alexandro Ferrainas, Artiom Makaila and Ion Madsisouli.

"Am fost de gând să-l omoare preşedintelui de a pretinde sa membri ai personalului. Desigur, acest lucru nu veţi şti cum nu se poate vorbi limba romana."

 _"We were going to kill the president by impersonating his members of staff. Of course, you won't know this as you can't speak Romanian."_

Lillian smiled. "Puteţi vorbi în orice limbă doriţi. Modificările sunt că voi stii ce spui."

 _"You can speak in whatever language you like. Changes are that I will know what you are saying."_

She continued in English. "Thank you for admitting to conspiring to kill the president. Good. The FBI has arrived."

The FBI took away the three criminals.

"Team Scorpion, I am Agent X. Your country and your president thanks you. The great man himself told me to extend my gratitude to you."

"Agent X?"

"Yes I cannot tell you my name. I do believe however that is you Miss Lillian Clarissa Aaliyah O'Brien to is the reason why Scorpion caught Ferrainas, Makaila and Madsisouli"

"Just Lillian is fine." She replied "And I am part of Scorpion"

"Well I had better go." Agent X replied

Once they had gone, Ralph walked through the door. He had just gone to a party, one that the whole class had been invited to and one that Lillian of course had to miss out on.

"Hi Lillian! How was detention?" He asked

"Fine"

"I didn't miss anything did I?"

"Not really"

"Right Ralph, I think it's time we were getting back." Paige told him ushering him out the door way.

"Lillian a word." Walter insisted "I am sorry if you think I was hard on you now and when you struggled to remember Gonzales. I want you to remember that no matter who you are you will make mistakes; if you don't make mistakes you will never succeed. I am proud of you."

"I forgive you Walt and I'm sorry too. You're not the worst dad ever, you're the best and I don't hate you. I love you."

"What data are you relying that on? The fact that I am the best day ever."

The pair laughed and hugged.

'You know, I if I have never got in trouble and got a weekend detention then I wouldn't have got these guys. So am I ungrounded?"

"Nice try but that was just a coincidence. You're still grounded for speaking to the teacher the way you did. Go to your room please I will reduce your grounding to two weeks though."

Walter smiled and walked away leaving the rest of Scorpion standing there.

"I knew I missed something." Ralph pouted hugging Lillian "I always miss something."

"Walter's a good father too you."

"I know"

"So you should probably go to your room. You being at school _was_ a coincidence." Happy told her.

Lillian smiled at the adults and replied "You know I never believe in coincidences." Then she turned away from them and went up the stairs to her room.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve: The Innocent Flower

 **Hello Readers!**

 **I am finally done with my exams. 'Be the innocent flower but be the serpent underneath it' is one of the quotes I remembered for Macbeth in my English Literature exam paper 1. It's from Act 1 Scene V. Enjoy. Keep reading. Keep happy. Keep enjoying.**

Lillian and Ralph climbed into the back of the car while looking at Paige.

"Are you quite sure that we can't help with the presentation?" Lillian asked while Ralph laughed.

"What are you laughing at Ral?"

"You were saying how you hate presentations last night and you said, and I quote, 'I will never help with the presentation even if it meant a day off school' and now you want to help."

Lillian glared at her brother who was still laughing while Paige shared a secret smile.

"I am certain Lillian. You two need to go to school and what's this Ral business?"

"260, Lill, Lilly, Lills, Li and LCAO are all my nicknames. Ralph has Ralphy boy but we read somewhere that friends that give each nicknames are better friends when they go grow up. Ralph gave me 'Lills and Lilly' so I gave him 'Ral' and 'R'."

Paige rolled her eyes and started to drive them to school. Secretly she thought it was cute and was proud of them both. They really wanted to be friends with each other. It worried her though because what if Lillian or Ralph gained a new friend? What would happen then?

It was not long before the phone rang and Happy picked it up.

"Hello? Yeah they're here now I'll pass you over. Walt! Dineen! It's the school."

"Put them on speaker phone Happy" Walter called "I'm kinda unavailable right now!"

Happy did what he asked after informing the man on the other end what she was doing. Meanwhile Paige came into the room shortly followed by Walter.

"Hello? Is that Ms Dineen and Mr O'Brien?"

"That is correct who this is?" Walter asked

"This is Principal Phylipps from your children's elementary school."

"Is something wrong? Are Lillian and Ralph ok?" Paige asked

"They're fine Ma'am but yes something is wrong very wrong indeed. They hacked into the school's system and as a result they are suspended."

"WHAT?" Walter yelled outraged "I thought Principal Warner was in charge."

"Don't you read any letter they give you? She left shortly after the detention fiasco. I take it you want us to come in?" Paige asked

"Yes that is correct."

Ten minutes later they were waiting outside the Principal's office where Lillian and Ralph were sitting. Lillian was wearing a mint dress with a brown belt and denim jacket and Ralph wore brown jeans with a navy blue plaid shirt.

"Mum! Walter! Guys! We didn't do i-"

"No Ralph. You do not get to talk; you will have plenty of time to explain yourselves when we are in the office."

"But Paige-"

"You as well Lillian" Walter cut her off

So Scorpion waited outside of the office and Walter and Paige, when called walked into the office leaving the rest of the team outside.

"Mr O'Brien, Ms Dineen thank-you for coming on such short notice. I am sorry to report that your son, Ms Dineen and your daughter, Mr O'Brien, have hacked the school's website."

"Do you have evidence?"

"Well apart from the fact that the children are the only ones that have the skills to do this we do have evidence. We had an expert come in and locate the source of the hack. It was traced back to the library at the time where only Lillian and Ralph were in there."

"Well I am very sorry about that." Paige apologised

"Where did the children learn these skills?" The principal asked

"I believe they taught themselves although they also help each other. They're the best hackers we've seen."

"See I told you! It's a good thing." Lillian added

"Miss O'Brien did I give you permission to speak?"

"No"

"No _sir_ "

"No sir"

"Then kindly shut up." He ordered "Ralph, care to explain yourself?"

"All I can say is sir is that we didn't have anything to do with the hack."

"Well that is clearly a lie because we have the evidence that says that you did. Lillian you may explain yourself."

"I know that the evidence points towards us but we honestly didn't do it sir."

Mr Phylipps sighed.

"Look kids, everyone here knows the crimes you are guilty of here today. Hacking is a crime and you can go to prison for it. I know that you're geniuses and that that means your minds often become board. It's because of these I'm throwing you a life line. If you admit to it, then you will only be suspended for a week, two days of which will be ISS. If you do not admit then you will be suspended for two weeks none of which will be ISS. What do you say?"

Lillian and Ralph looked at each other to a second before nodding and turning back to the teacher. Ralph spoke. "That's a generous offer sir but we can't accept. We cannot and will not admit to something that we didn't do. We only hope that this will show our innocence. If we had been stupid enough to do what you are saying we have done then we would have covered up our tracks. We would accept your offer but we can't. How can we admit to something we didn't do? Mum has always taught me not to admit to something I didn't do."

"Then you leave me no choice. You're suspended for two weeks. Mr O'Brien, Ms Dineen I need you to sign here."

After signing the papers Walter and Paige took the children out of the office to where they met up with rest of the team. Scorpion were informed as to what happened and everyone - well expect Happy – looked at them with marks of disappointment etched on their faces.

"Why didn't you take the deal?" Cabe asked

"Come on Cabe, it's a meeting from our head teacher not an integration by the FBI!"

"It might as well have been kid! You know how I met your father Lillian O'Brien and I don't want you floating down that path because you might be up the creek without a paddle!"

"How many times? _We. Did. Not. Do. It."_

"Ralph we know you did."

"Toby, tell Dineen and 197 that they're not lying." Happy ordered

Toby studied the pair then sighed. "The evidence is overwhelming Happs and according to Lillian I don't know much about her she could be a remarkably good liar."

"That is one part of my skills which I do not excel at. I wasn't lying when we said we had nothing to do with it and I'm not lying now."

"But the evidence-" someone else started to say but was interrupted by Happy

"Screw the evidence!"

"Happy!" Warned Walter who indicated the playground of children telling her that she should watch her language.

On the way back to the garage Lillian and Ralph managed to talk together

"What are we going to do Ral?" Lillian asked in a hushed whisper.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ralph countered "The solution is simple."

"You have a plan then?"

"That I do 260 that I do."

"Care to tell me about it?"

"Think about it, I know we didn't do it, you know we didn't do it but someone did so…" Ralph paused to let Lillian process what she knew.

"We find out who did!" Raising her voice a little

"Shhh! Exactly we prove who did it, thus proving it wasn't us."

"There's one flaw in your plan. How can we do that if we have no tech?"

"We get help." Ralph indicated Happy

"Happy would help us, she thinks we're innocent." Lillian concluded and Ralph nodded to show that she had got it.

"Wait in the car you two." Paige ordered while she went into the garage. As soon as they had gone into the garage (well except Happy) they slipped out of the car.

"Happy!"

"I thought Paige told you to get in the car."

"Oh she did."

"Well unless you want to get into more trouble than already are I'd suggest you'd do what she said."

Ralph sighed "I'm pretty sure that you know as well as we do that that trouble is unwarranted."

"I do, I also know that it'll be a while before you two will get into Walt's and Paige's good books"

"Not if we have anything to say about it." Lillian insisted.

"You have a plan then I take it?"

"We do."

Ralph and Lillian then went through the plan telling Happy every bit of information that they could supply.

"Right and how are you going to get the tech needed?"

"That's where you come in. We need you to tell us where the tech is. It doesn't matter if it's in a locked box or something I can pick the lock. We also need you to relieve suspicion from us. Can you do that?"

"I can Lillian and I'll tell you why. Firstly I know you two didn't do it and I hate injustice. Secondly I would love a chance to prove 197 wrong and knock him of his perch and lastly, if you didn't do it then we need to know who did. Why would you hack, if you could hack and code at the level required to rebound the signal, some school's website? Something doesn't add up."

"Happy!" Walter's voice came from inside "Are you coming?"

"Yeah boss! Just lecturing the child geniuses!" With that she went back into the garage and the kids went back into the car.

Ten minutes later Paige told them to go in.

She pointed to Walter's desk.

"Stand there and be quiet, we will be down in a minute."

While they were waiting they talked about the plan finalising the last details so each person knew what they were doing. If they ended up separated then they'd work from home talking over a group chat about it. That was unlikely though because the team would be working and they would, most likely, have the same sitter and therefore would be in the same place. They stopped talking when they heard footsteps.

Walter and Paige had placed two chairs and sat down in them facing their children.

"Firstly I will say how disappointed I am in you both. I thought, Lillian that you agreed to try and behave?"

"I did Walt and I succeeded we both did!"

"Well obviously not."

"What happened to innocent until proven guilty?"

"You were proven guilty Ralph." Paige retorted

"But we're not!"

"Not this again."

"But it's true!"

"Lillian Clarissa Aaliyah O'Brien! Enough! 'Act like the innocent flower but be the serpent underneath it." Walter quoted starting to lose his patience.

"Yeah but this time we _are_ the innocent flower."

"And _that_ is a fact." Ralph added

" _Well,_ how's _this_ for a fact? You're both grounded for one month." Paige informed them.

" _A month!?_ "

"Don't make us make it two. Now you are lucky because we have a case that means you guys get to be downstairs and be together. "

"Hey guys! I let myself in. Hi Ralph! Hi Lillian!" A voice said its owner came into view.

Paige pointed at the kids

"They are grounded. They cannot go no their technology."

"Ie that's a problem"

"Yes well thank you Aricia."

The team let but Happy managed to tell Lillian that the technology was in the silver filing cabinet that had a lock that Lillian could crack with her eyes closed. Honestly it was like Walter _wanted_ them to get into it. So it wasn't a surprise when they were, with five minutes, of Aricia going to the integration room to some work, already coding to find out the true culprit.

It was an easy job because they had plenty of time as Aricia wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in Happy's toolbox and so needed more time to complete her work. They were through the 3rd and penultimate barrier when they heard the integration room's door close. They quickly set 'operation tidy' into motion and was just picking up a book to read when she came into the room.

"Few! That's that work done." Aricia stated wiping her brow her right hand. "Are you kids alright?"

"Yep"

"Fine and dandy"

"Good and you have done your school work haven't you?"

"We have"

"Good. Well by watch it is break time so how about you guys go outside and I will prepare you a snack."

"We can't"

"Your mum and dad didn't say you couldn't go out." The Welsh born women stated.

"We know but we have no sun cream." Lillian told her thinking quickly.

"Let me guess you're not allowed out without it."

"No but a snack sounds good."

Aricia nodded and turned to walk to the kitchen before stopping when Lillian spoke.

"I've just remembered the fridge isn't working. You'll have to use the upstairs one."

"Thanks that saved me a trip." So the sitter went upstairs and as soon as they heard the door shut Ralph smiled as sister.

"Lillian you're a genius!"

"I know I have a 260 IQ that's 120 more than is needed to be considered a genius" she told him collecting the laptop and opening it.

"HA HA very funny my name's bug's bunny."

"No it's not, it's Ralph and I just broke the 3rd barrier one more to go."

"I've done it Li! I'm revealing the address now!"

"1345 South Grand Avenue Glendora"

"That's about a 30 minutes from here 20 if Happy drives."

"I remember that address."

"Really?"

"Yes it's his."

"Whose?"

"Collins. Mark Anthony Collins."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

I'd Love to Say We Told You So

 **A.N. Hey guys! I kind of feel that the last chapter was a bit too short so, to make up to it, I am making this chapter longer. Can you spot the House MD reference? Anyways enjoy. Enjoy. Keep reading. Keep happy. Keep enjoying.**

 **Sophie**

There was utter silence in Scorpion HQ. They knew that Collins would turn up, Horatio had told them that much, but still Ralph and hoped that the genius _wouldn't_ be making an appearance. Ralph was thinking about the stories he heard about Collins; he felt like he knew him somehow, even though, he hadn't met him before, nor even seen a picture of him, as, strangely, his file didn't contain one of him. He could have, quite easily, walked past the man without even so much as thinking that he was Collins. That wasn't a pleasant thought.

He was thinking so hard that he missed the question Lillian asked him. He looked up at her and, seeing that her face showed that she was expecting something, – that raise of her eyebrows gave it away really – snapped out of it.

"Pardon?"

Lillian grunted in annoyance at having to repeat herself.

" _Do_ try and listen little bro."

Ralph gave his 'I-can't-believe-you-just-said-that-look' at _his_ annoyance at being referred as 'little bro' because everyone knew he hated it. Lillian may be older than him but only by a few months so it didn't really give her the right to call him 'little', well that, _and_ Ralph was a full _two heads_ taller than Lillian. However he didn't say anything or rise to the bait – now wasn't the time for sibling rivalry and bickering so gave her the sign to repeat what she had said.

Lillian sighed "I asked you what you think we should do."

Ralph frowned for a minute in contemplation before replying. "What do _you_ think we should do?" he questioned.

Now it was Lillian's turn to frown. "You can't answer a question by asking another one Ralph."

"I just did." He pointed out

Lillian sighed again "I think we should wait until my dad, your mum and the rest of the team come back. We don't know what kind of things Collins has install for us, because like it or not, that was too easy to follow and if he is as smart as dad says he is, and I must confess I am inclined to believe with him, he could have made it harder. Plus they let us to help with Collins but not met him and I don't want to find out the consequences if we go against that. I don't know about you Ralph but I am getting red up of being grounded all the time. What do you think?"

Ralph looked at her in surprise. She never referred to her dad like that. She always called him by his name. He however said nothing about this and answered her question.

"I agree Lills I really do but we're going to have to keep the laptops open in order to do that. We may lose our evidence if we do and I don't want to go through that again."

"Again? That implies that it happened before, when was that?"

A sudden thought popped into his head and Ralph looked up at the door which Aricia had gone through.

"How long does it take to make for one woman to make a snack?" He asked. Lillian raised her eyebrows knowingly at him for his obvious deflection of her question.

"Don't change the subjects Ralph. What was the first time you lost evidence?"

The repeated question hung in the air like a bad smell and before Ralph answer they looked up automatically the way you do when you hear a new sound that wasn't expected and you want to find the source of it. It was Aricia.

Ralph muttered to himself about something along the lines of 'speak of the devil'. Perhaps if they were a different circumstance then he would have been more vocal.

"So I have some carrots and-" she stopped when she saw the child geniuses crowding around a laptop that was open on the kitchen table. "What are you doing?"

"We are locating hacker."

"You know you're forbidden to go on technology."

"Before you starting telling us off please let us finish. Anyway technically we were locating the hacker, past tense. We have now."

"Well tell that to your parents when they get back. I was a long time because they rang. They will be here in five minutes."

"Arica."

"Yes?"

"Can we still have the snack?"

The women smiled to herself before handing the bowl of carrots and hummus the pair. The sitter then went to close the laptop down but jumped when the pair shouted in unison.

"STOP!"

Arica turned round expecting to see some kind of serious injury as the urgency and volume of their voice implied that they had been mortally wounded. Fining none, she put her hands on her hips – the way adults do to show their annoyance.

"Goodness me! There really is no need to shout. Now what is the matter?"

"You need to keep the laptop open so the result can be shown to the adults when they returned."

Arica raised her eyebrows at this "Is that anyway to ask for something? You not really in a potion to be making demands Ralph."

" _Please_ keep the laptop open Arica it is vital for our evidence. If we shut it down now we might lose any change of proving our evidence. So please don't touch it."

"If this is a silly trick-"

"It's not we assure you. If there's one thing that Lillian O'Brien isn't it is a liar and I'm sure the same goes for Ralph."

Arica looked at the boy who confirmed it with a nod.

"Fine."

"When the adults come do you think you could get them to let us explain?" Ralph asked

"My my we are needy today. Fine I'll do what you say."

"Excellent, Ralph get ready because it T minus two minutes a new world of trouble begins.

Exactly two minutes later the team arrived and as soon as they entered Walter and Paige saw the laptop open.

"So, we go for a few hours, we trust you and you deliberately defy our orders." Walter stated.

"Yes well-"

"I don't want to hear it!"

"We were-"  
"No."

"Mr O'Brien, Ms Dineen, it is, of course, none of my business but I think you should let the kids explain themselves."

"I agree Arica." Walter nodded

"Really? It was that easy for her to persuade you to let the kids talk?" Toby asked.

"No I mean I agree that it's none of her business. However seeing as Paige has said I should listen to people more – and who am I to set up a bad example – I will let them explain."

Paige, who was going to step in and let them explain anyway, was relived.

"Well as sound as we got called to the principal's office we knew what the prognosis didn't look good. We are, of course the only ones with the skillset to do the job. So we knew that if we wanted this to stop we had to prove our innocence-"

"Not this again." Walter complained exasperated.

"I thought you were going to let them explain 197" Happy interjected. Walter rolled his eyes but allowed Ralph to continue."

"So we had to prove our innocence not so easy when everyone thinks the opposite, well except maybe one person." At this last bit Ralph cast an eye to Happy but it was unnoticed.

Lillian continued. "When the teacher went to call you we made up a plan. We knew what would happen – we'd get suspended but we would keep protecting our innocence. Then when we came back to the garage you guys would help us. What we hadn't accounted for is that you wouldn't believe us. So we decided to prove our innocence on our own. With the help form Happy, the only one who believed us – we got hold of my laptop."

"So that's what we did and we managed it." Ralph finished

"How? We knew that they'd, whoever they were, had deflected the signal."

"We discovered who the hacker was."

"Who?"

Ralph and Lillian looked between each other, preparing themselves.

"You're not going to like the answer."

"Lillian who was it?"

Instead of answering immediately she picked up her laptop and held it up. The small crowd gathered to see what was on the screen. A cold feeing went around the team.

"Collins, it was him."

"Yep." Ralph confirmed "He's back."

"I'd love to say we told to so." Lillian glared "So I will. We told you so. We told you we didn't do it."

Instantaneously, Walter wen into 'boss mode' Cabe went into 'Agent mode', Paige went to 'EQ mode' while Sly, Happy and Toby joined Walter in well 'Genius mode'.

"Paige take Ralph and Lillian upstairs, Arica, do you think you can stay until we return?"

"Yeah that's fine I can stay until noon tomorrow."

"We will almost certainly be done by then." Walter turned back to the children who were watching in both excitement and trepidation. "I'll need that laptop. Perceptibly, you're undergrounded and when were through with this we will explain to that head teacher of yours of the _real_ story. Now, please to Lillian's room. You don't have to bed yet but please play up there. Oh and Lillian! Ralph! We'll need to talk about this later. You're not in any trouble."

"Bye Walt." The pair said in unison.

When they were in Lillian Ralph turned to her.

"You okay?"

"'Course."

"I can tell when you're lying. You're being distant from Walter."

"I don't know what you mean Ralph."

"I think you do Li, I think you do. Earlier you referred to him as 'dad."

"Well it is a biological fact."

"That's not what I mean and you know it. " He replied watching her charge her tablet. "You never have before and now you're not again."

"I guess I got fed up of him not believing me. I know I've been in trouble a few times, well more than a few, but I never lied. I always tell the truth much like shoes."

"I see."

"That's part of the reason I was so keen on waiting before we did anything. If he won't see past the past because of the past then I need to make him change that opinion. I mean even Tobs didn't believe us as he's a behaviourist. So if it is getting to a point where they assume we're responsible then he's not the person I thought he was and I'm not the daughter I believed."

"That's not true."

"Isn't it? Look surely that fact we refused the deal between would have given it away. He knows I'm smart so he should know that if admitting to something _I did_ would get me in less trouble I'd take it."

"I think you're overthinking it. He had evidence, strong mathematically and scientifically proven evidence. That is something he couldn't overlook. As far as he was concerned the case was closed and the evidence proved our gilt. Do you remember, what was the first thing, he said, to Phylipps when he went to see him?"

Lillian didn't answer.

"'Do you have evidence?' He said it in a forceful tone too like we wasn't going to stand his daughter being accused based on the fact she was a bit of a troublemaker or a genius."

Lillian grunted.

"You're still angry."

"I'm not angry, I'm hurt." She responded in a quiet voice "I thought he knew me better enough to at least let us explain."

"What about my mum?"

"What about her?"

"Do you feel the same for her?"

"No."

"Right then you know that you're not angry at the fact of what he did but the fact he's your dad. That's stupid."

"You're correct. Thanks Rals it means a lot. If I'm only angry at him then that means I'm angry because of _who_ he is not _what_ he did. That is illogical."

"I knew you'd see sense. Anyway you know Walt needs like $50 million to save Megan."

"Yeah…"

"I know how we can help."

"How?"

Ralph unplugged Lillian's tablet and tried a few times to get into it but eventually gave up and handed it to her.

Lillian smiled smugly and typed in the passcode before passing it to Ralph. After a few minutes he showed her the screen.

"Millennium Prize Problems."

"I have been interested in them for a while now I think we'd be able to crack them."

"Are you sure I mean we're not Sly."

"Sly wouldn't enter as money makes him nervous."

"Guess it wouldn't hurt to try."

 _Downstairs_

Once the kids went upstairs Scorpion set to work. Walter was doing what the children had done earlier. He wanted to make sure they both got the same answer and when he did he turned to the team.

"They were right; it was Collins. If I wasn't worried about that I'd be impressed by their level of skill."

Paige shook her head. "They said not to."

Toby raised his eyebrows in complete shock. "Are you sure? That's not like them, Lillian especially. She tries her hardest to not be treated like a kid accepting knowledge of her skill is her way of doing this. It's not like her to be modest; it's a rare trait with geniuses."

"That's not what she meant. What she means is be concerned she says it was way too easy to hack and by the sounds of it Collins would be able to make it much harder. She told me to remind you guys that he was manipulative." Paige informed them. When she had said this the team looked at each other in worry, then at Walter and finally Paige.

"They're right. It was far too easy to do this and they did the right thing in waiting for us even if it was inefficient. We need to formulate a plan and Cabe, inform Homeland of the operation in case we do not return. Someone needs to stay here with Lillian and Ralph."

"Happy you're as hard as nails; you hang back here in case it gets tough." Cabe instructed "I'll be calling Homeland and they will probably send an agent here."

"What if you need me?"

"We will call you."

"And leave the kids unattended?"

"The agent should be there by then anyway we do not have time to stand here and have a chat. Get moving."

 _Upstairs_

Happy went to check on the kids and found them hard at work.

"What you kids doing?"

"Trying to solve Navier–Stokes equations"

"That's one of the Millennium Prize Problems. To help 197 get 50 mill, I presume."

"You presume correctly. _We_ presume that you've been sent to body babysit us."

Happy smiled "I prefer the term 'body-guard' but yes. Well done by the way, you did well today."

"Thanks Happy" Ralph acknowledged "We don't just mean that about what you said."

"I know and you're welcome."

 _Downstairs_

The team filed into the van and set to driving towards Collins' house. It was a good time to talk but the team were the silence; each to their own thoughts. It was easier that way because it meant they could prepare mentally for what was about to begin. The fight wouldn't be easy and no-one wanted it to be so (that Collins was back) but it was inevitable. Not only that, but it was a fact, a proven fact, which wasn't something they could just discount.

True the 'proof' that Lillian and Ralph were so obviously guilty led them to believe in a fact that was pure fiction. This was different. The proof was proved by three independent geniuses that the team knew and trusted. Before, it was some trained chimp behind a desk. They called themselves a genius despite not being one; not by the team's standard.

Now three of the smartest people agreed and that scared Paige. She was certain the others were scared too. Cabe certainly was, though he hid it well, the other geniuses seemed blank other than Sly. Sly was quite clearly petrified; he was squeezing that stress grip so hard Paige thought it'd snap. On the other hand, Sly was always scared. He was checking his pulse now and then finally he broke the silence.

"Can't I stay in here?"

Walter thought for a minute before answering "No Sly we may need your brain. You can't do that from in here."

"There is a beautiful invention called a camera Walter."

"That would mean we would have to show you everything. That's not going to happen. Now, relax Sly."

"Relax? Relax! I can't relax Collins is top on my list of people I avoid. That's above drug runners!"

"You have a list? Never mind, look we will have back-up and we know that it is a trap. Think of Megan. Ask yourself WWMD. What Would Megan Do?"

Sky thought for a minute "Face by fears like she does every day."

The rest of the ride was in silence and Paige was grateful for it as it gave her time to think about how to deal with the team. It was clear that Lillian was hurt by what had transpired and no doubt Ralph would be giving her advice. The problem is that Ralph would give her advice based on logic rather than emotion. 'Be careful whose advice you buy but be patient with those who supply it.'

When the car pulled up at Collins house it seemed like hours had passed rather than the fifteen minutes had truly had. Time's funny that way it was really based on perceptive yet humanity's life revolves around it.

The house hadn't changed since they last visited but then Collins never really changed at all.

"Anyone have déjà vu?" Toby asked though no-one answered; it was really rhetorical.

Seeing that back-up had arrived, Cabe wasted no time in braking down the door and the team rushed in.

"Collins! Show yourself! We know what you did and Cane going to drag you back to jail." Walter called loudly.

No answer. Silence. Then…

Ring. Ring.

Cabe grabbed his phone in annoyance and went outside to answer it.

"Come out!" Walter ordered "If you know what's good for you, you'll come out. Really Collins? Out smarted by two ten year old?"

Everyone knew Walter was goading Collins in hope that he would answer as his ego would tempt to him to.

"I'll give you one more chance."

Cabe came and whispered in his ear.

"Collins is still in jail, he never left, Horatio too."

A figure rose from the dark and entered the lightening.

"Then who are you?" Toby asked

The man smiled. "I thought you knew; you called me my name. I'm Collins."

"No you're not. We have met Mark Collins, we know him and we locked him up." Sly replied trembling.

"You assume I'm _Mark_ Collins. Well this is a good misunderstanding isn't it? Seemed I out smarted Scorpion. I'm _Joseph_ Collins, his younger brother. I'm very pleased to meet you."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Hidden Family Members

 **I have, unfortunately been suffering from writer's block but luckily I have been cured and I have some ideas that being said I would love to hear some suggestions for future plots so please if you have any ideas just comment down below and I will consider them. Anyways here's the next chapter. Enjoy. Keep reading. Keep happy. Keep enjoying.**

"Please tell me that you heard that Collins has a brother and that I'm not hearing things." Toby stated hitting the side of his head.

"You didn't mishear trust me Mark and I are related and have been for all 25 years of my life. Like I said the name's Matthew, Matthew Daniel Collins. I guess that you are wondering what is going on."

"What's your plan?" Cabe demanded

"Yeah because Mark's my brother I must have a plan. Then again I do."

" _What's_ your plan?"

"Yeah 'cos that's going to work." Joseph replied "If someone has a plan, unless they're pulling a trick they're not going tell you."

Cabe glared at him put pulled out his cuffs.

"Well we have enough evidence to arrest for hacking the elementary school's computers." He told the rather scruffy unkempt little man whose eyes matched his brother's and he slipped the handcuffs on him. "Matthew Daniel Collins I am arresting you for under the Misuse of Technology Act of 1982. You have the right to remain silent and to refuse to answer questions anything you do say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney if you cannot afford and attorney on will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read out to you?"

"Yeah"

"With these rights in mind do you wish to speak to me?"

"I'll pass on that front thanks grandpops."

"Walt you deal with the kids back to the garage and ring the school while I deal with this. We need to work out what is going on but this is the priority right now."

"What's your full name?

Cabe bundled Matthew into a police car that had arrived by then and Walter and the rest of the team minus Happy, took the van back the garage back to the HQ.

"You're thinking about Lillian."

It wasn't a question. Walter looked at Paige with a frown on his face but he didn't say anything instead, he looked down with a face of disappointment.

"I only know because I'm feeling the same."

"Lillian's my daughter I should have believed her but the evidence was against it."

"Being a parent isn't easy huh?" Paige replied "Walter the sooner you realise this the better, as a parent you will make mistakes and that's fine. It's by no means easy and it doesn't make it easier that you are a genius making things so black and white."

"That doesn't excuse what we did." Walter retorted sounding like a scolded schoolboy

"No, but it helps me reminds me that I need to try my best not be the best." Paige gave back "Kids are generally understanding and since your kid's a genius that'll mean that she will be extra understanding for your reasoning."

Walter stayed silent and Paige joined him knowing that she had said enough. Then he got angry and glared at Toby.

"You are a bloody behaviourist." He growled "How come you didn't notice that they were telling the truth?"

"Because you and Paige believed that they were guilty so I believed you two and not the kids." 

"Instead of blaming each other let's focus on the matter in hand. Collins has a brother. Why didn't we know this?" Sly asked.

"It's not something he ever brought up but then again none of us talk of our childhoods." Walter answered "What concerns me is that we don't know what the plan is. As far as I can tell Matthew is as smart as Mark so there must be something connected." 

"Horatio said we'd be meeting Mark Collins but we didn't does that mean we will meet him or that Matthew lied about his identity?" Paige asked

"I don't know, _yet_ but right now we need to sort the kids out. I have a few things to talk with Lillian and I'm sure you want to speak with Ralph. I need to thank Happy too, if she hadn't helped then, well I don't want to think about it." Walter answered pulling the door open so the rest of the team could file out.

Walter went straight to Lillian's room and noticed the work that they were doing.

"Are you working on the Navier–Stokes equations?

"Yeah it's for Meagan." Ralph's reply was curt.

"Ralph your mum wants a word downstairs."

Ralph looked at Lillian before jumping up and walking out the bedroom muttering "Real subtle 197 real subtle."

"Lillian-"

"Before we start I want to say that it's fine."

"No it's not fine Lillian, you're my daughter I should trust you to tell the truth when you haven't lied before."

"Like I said, it's fine because there was a lot of evidence contrary to that and you know that you can't just dispute a fact."

"I will make it up to you. I have three tickets to the Science Fair in LA next month. Front row seats, I got them before this whole incident happened. I thought I could take you and Ralph."

"Sounds good but don't beat yourself up about this. I seem to remember you telling me that we will make mistakes and that that was okay. I suggest you follow your own advice."

Downstairs a similar conversation was happening and when Walter and Lillian joined the group, he started explained to the kids what had happened.

"Wait so you're telling me that Collins has a brother? That was unexpected."

"We don't know if the two are connected-"

"What do you mean you don't know if the two are connected? The guy operated from his brother's house why would he do that? No, there's something fishy going on here."

"I do wish you wouldn't keep doing that Lillian." Walter commented.

"What?"

"Interrupting, it's incredibly annoying." Walter replied "What is taking Cabe? He has been ages."

"Take a chill pill Walter, things like this take time. Why don't you call the school and let them know what's gone on?" 

Walter took Paige's advice and when he hung up the phone he looked satisfied.

"If the evidence is checked out it will be like this never happened. The school will be told that the school's website wasn't even hacked into by them but by an outsider."

"I have a feeling" Paige stated "That the damage has been done already and can't be undone. There is defiantly something very wrong with this."

"I think I have it." Sly answered after tapping on his phone for a few minutes.

"Have what?"

"Have an idea as to what happened. I've checked for bugs and there are none. I think that Collins wanted us to go to his house but he needed to give us a reason. What better is that reason than the one he gave? He gets his brother to hack the school form where his house using his laptop and bounce the signal back to the school. He wanted the kids to work on this because if you think about it, this has been about Lillian from that start. When they found out, of course we went but he gave us a surprise. I think he wants us to concentrate on Matthew Collins and ignore Mark."

The team listened to Sly's theory and Lillian groaned.

"Why me? Why am I so special?"

"I am not sure but trust me we are going to find out for that we need to work out how Horatio and Collins met and any links the two could have."

The team set to work going through pages and pages of information until something was discovered it. Happy was the one who noticed it first.

"In 2008 both did a stretch and Sing-Sing for online fraud, they were cell mates and according to this often separated from the rest of group."

"Were they good friends?"

"I would say so! Matthew visited them in prison a lot but there's something interesting about that boss." She replied "Only family members can visit so somehow they must be related."

"That's it!" Lillian shouted thumping her hand on the table "That's how they knew! Mark Collins was a radio expert right and you knew my mum after you knew him."

"Yes" Walter confirmed

"Well don't you see? He must have kept tabs on you and knew that mum was pregnant and when he saw I was a genius…"

"Saw an opportunity and got his relations to test you, Horatio twice and now Matthew. He wants Lillian to achieve a goal and he wants to use you to get back at me." Walter concluded "Well I must admit he has a lot of patience."

"That's horrible."

"Collins doesn't care about that as long as he gets what he wants then he is happy with how he gets there. That's the difference between him and me. I care about the method whereas Collins only cares about the method." Walter answered. "That's where he will fail because Lillian is the same and she has people that care and will move heaven and earth before we allow them to hurt her."

"Hear Hear!" the rest of the team coursed.

"So now we know of his plan, we need to know ours. I say that we-"

Walter was interrupted but not by his daughter but by is mobile and he answered it.

"Hey Walt we passed the evidence onto the school and their experts are combing through it but we have a problem." 

"And what might that be?"

"Collins escaped."

"Which one?"

"Mark. Be careful he could be coming to get you."

"We'll be okay Cabe."

"I'm still placing uniforms outside everyone's homes and the garage."

"Thanks Cabe"

"Anytime."

Walter hanged up and turned his attention to the team who were wondering what Cabe wanted.

"That was Cabe, he says Mark Collins escaped. He's appointed uniformed officers outside our apartments and the garage. He also says that he's passed on the information to the school."

"While you were on the phone the school rang. They want to meet with us to discuss it. What are we going to do about Collins?"

"Collins will have to wait because we've a meeting to go to."

So Walter, Paige and the children went to the school and were led to Principal's office. Mr Phylipps was at his desk and indicated four chairs for them to sit at.

"I take it we are here to discuss everything that has happened." Walter said

"We are Mr. O'Brien. With the evidence you have provided us with in addition to backing from Ex-FBI agent and now Homeland Security Agent Cabe Gallo, we have come to conclusion that-"

"Oh for heaven's sakes this is a school meeting not a trail. Are the kids coming back?"

"I was getting to that. We have come to the conclusion that they are innocent. On behalf of the school we do apologise full heartedly."

"Ralph? Lillian?" The principal asked wanting to them to accept the apology.

"That's okay sir, mistakes happen. When can we come back?" Ralph replied

Phylipps smiled before answering "Be at school normal time tomorrow morning. Who proved your innocence?" he questioned

"We did it ourselves sir." Lillian responded

"Really?"

She smiled "Yeah. If you want a job doing probably, or at all, do it yourself."

Hey guys so I would love to hear some suggestions for future plots so please if you have any ideas just comment down below and I will consider them. If I like the idea I will use it and I will make sure that you get recognition for it. Anyway bye!


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Your Arch nemeses are my Arch nemeses

 **Hi guys! Again I'm sorry for the lack of updates. I changed my mind on the plot. The next chapter will be the season finale of Season one of Scorpion. I am getting my results on Thursday; I'm really nervous and excited. Enjoy. Keep reading. Keep happy. Keep enjoying.**

At the garage, the team were back trying to solve the problem of Collins.

"Think what would Collins want?"

"Money?"

"No he wouldn't…"

"I think I know what he wants." Lillian stammered "I know my abilities better than anyone here."

"So what is it?"

"I lied to you. It's the only time I lied."

"When?"

"When I said that Horatio only wanted me to hack a few banks, he wanted me to do something else."

"And that was?"

"Create counterfeit notes. Fortunately after seeing a sample he went off the grid that is until now. If he met up with Collins' brother he would have told him this so that they both know my skills."

"If they mix counterfeit notes with real ones, panic is set in and the sequel to 'The Wall Street Crash'"

A slow clap could be heard through the garage and the team turned around the face the noise. It came from a face that the team couldn't forget in a hurry, a face they all wish that they'd never see.

"Ralph, Lillian, get upstairs now!" Paige hissed while Cabe raised his gun.

"Stay away Collins! Nice and easy." He ordered aiming his gun at Collins while Lillian and Ralph ran upstairs.

"I am impressed Walter you must be so proud." Collins replied "Imagine what I can do with a brain like that. An IQ of 260, that's special."

"You will not hurt her or use her."

"And who is going to stop me?"

"We are!" And everyone one the team stepped forward.

"I'm warning you Collins if you touch Lillian or Ralph, you so much as harm a hair on their heads and I _will_ kill you."

"Chill out Walt I'm not going to hurt your precious little geniuses. If that little mistake of yours does what she is told."

Walter punched Collins in gut.

"Don't ever call her that." Walter warned. "I might not have planned Lillian but she's one of the best things that have ever happened to me."

"Just a warning." Collins warned. He smiled before turning the other way and leaving.

"Cabe go and check-"

CRASH!

The team ran up the stairs to see what had happened, Cabe getting his phone ready to use and to see all sorts of atrocities. They opened the door and saw…

Two guys that had never been seen before, tied up in the middle of Lillian's room, knocked out.

"Ha! Lillian, pay up!" Ralph shouted and Lillian grumbled at begrudgingly handed over a crisp new dollar bill.

"Toby, have you been teaching the children to bet?" Walter demanded

"I err I might have." Toby admitted his face looking the picture."

"Seriously, Toby! How irresponsible can you get?"

"Chill out Walter."

"Chill out? Chill out? I'd thank you not to teach _my_ daughter and Ralph how to bet. I'd rather that they didn't gain bad habits form eleven thank you very much!"

"Guys, shall we focus on the matter hand instead of bickering like kids? The two k'oed villains might require your attention first." Lillian suggested, rolling her eyes at their exchange.

"Right, yes I think that would be a good idea." Walter nodded "But Toby, we _will_ have a little chat about this."

"Yes." Paige agreed, who until that point had been silent. "We shall."

"Fantastic, I'm really looking forward to that conversation." Toby muttered to himself

"How did manage to do that?" Cabe asked

"I told you I was good at martial arts. I have been teaching Ralph." Lillian responded "I want him to be able to defend himself if the situation arose which it did because no longer than five minutes after the uniformed officers left, these guy rudely interrupted us."

The villains made grumbling noises.

"They're starting to wake up." Walter commented as he rushed them out of Lillian's bedroom. As soon as they were downstairs.

"Happy take the kids to the secret safe room."

"I didn't know we had a safe room."

"That's generally what a secret means Lillian."

In the secret room, Lillian and Ralph were talking.

"I was thinking about your dad." Lillian started, not even trying to beat about the bush.

"What about him?"

"You gave me some good advice earlier and now I'm going to try and give you some. You don't know if you want to meet with your dad. You should because one day, you won't be able to too."

Ralph looked unsure.

"Look you're worried he'll hurt you but if you don't try you won't know that, that if it's a fact. Then, when he's gone, you won't wonder what would happen, if you did meet him."

"I guess you're right I'm just scared."

"I know but being scared just shows you care, that's what Paige says anyways and your mum is always right with these things."

"Yeah." Ralph agreed. "I'll try thanks Lillian."  
"No problem." Lillian answered "That's what brothers and sisters do isn't it? They help each other."

"I don't know what the team are going to do, although I hope they figure it out quickly. We should keep a track on what they are doing."

"Agreed, for now though we have got to prepare for school tomorrow."

"Do you think your dad will let us go?"

"Mmm. I don't see any reason why not."

"Err hello, how about Collins?"

"We can't just sit here and wait for the danger to pass Ralph. We have to get on with our lives besides it will seem mighty strange if we don't go to school after all the trouble that we've gone into to be able to go."

"True." Ralph responded looking around the room. It was quite spacious with some fridges, ovens and microwaves. There were a few burner phones on the desk beside them and Ralph guessed they were used to contact the outside world in case of an emergency. Next to the dinner table, there were four doors and when he and Lillian went to look around they discovered that it contained two large bedrooms each housing three bunk beds and two bathrooms with separate cubical like in a public toilet.

Opposite, there was a small library and a medical bay. Clearly it the safe room was also there for long periods of time. Of course, other than the burner phones and electricity, there were no technologies because it could be hacked and used to find the location of whoever was inside. It was for that reason that neither Lillian nor Ralph had their ideas of entertainment. The door opened, which could only mean that one of the team came to see them because Walter, Sly, Happy and even Toby helped build the most secure security measures they could, so that it was unhackable unpickable and that most people would just ignore it thanks to Toby's physiological knowable.

"Kids." It was a soft voice, so soft that it could only be Paige. "Are you alright?"

A few seconds later the head popped around the frame to confirm that it was indeed Paige.

Lillian and Ralph stood up from the game of chess that they were playing, something that were evenly matched in.

"We're fine."

"I am pleased to hear it."

Then there was an awaked silence which was broken by a question.

"Paige."

"Yeah?"

"What's happening?"

"What makes you think there's something happening Lillian?"

"I have an IQ of 260. I am not stupid."

"I know Lillian."

"Then stop treating me like a kid."

"You are a kid Lillian."

"Not by intelligence nor emotion neither of us are. So are you going to continue to make up nonsense or are you just going to tell us?"

Paige sighed; clearly she hadn't intended to tell them anything. "Fine. The men that you caught, well done for that by the way, were Collins. After Toby discovered that they had family that were befitting as long as they didn't give anything away, we made a plan to make it seem that they are not getting paid. That made them angry and they told us what we needed to know."

Paige seemed to have finished but it was clear that there was more in the story.

"And?" Ralph prompted.

"And it was bogus. They saw through our little plan and gave us useless information."

"Well you didn't expect it to be that easy did you?" Ralph asked "Collins has an IQ near what Walter's is."

"Ralph." Paige started "We have a plan."

"And that is?"

"To and I quote 'play the prats and their own game'"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that we allow Collins to hear what we are saying so that he is fooled into thinking that we worried that he will come here and threaten us. Lillian will then pretend do what he says, then Cabe who will pretend to be called on an assignment, will arrest Collins and his brother."

"Right, so we just go to school tomorrow?"

"That's right. I have packed your school bags; tomorrow will be a long day." Paige replied "You're sleeping here tonight."

The next morning, the siblings in all but blood, awoke to the sound of two pans crashing together- a makeshift alarm clock. The cashing got louder and quicker like to theme to jaws when they climbed down their top bunks and charged through the door.

"Alright! Alight! We're up!" Ralph complained putting his hands to his ears to shelter them from the noise.

Walter and Toby stood by the sofas that Lillian and were sitting on earlier. Toby was holding the two metal pans and was clearly about the smash them together again while both of them were grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"Well you don't want to get a tardy on your first day, do you Ralphy boy?"

Lillian looked over to clock; her eyes were adjusting to the light and the blur starting to fade.

"Toby, it half past five."

Toby pretended to be surprised.

"So it is." He crouched down to Lillian's level. "Well like I say 260 you don't want to be late on your first day."

Lillian leaned forward and twisted,

"AHHH! She nurpled me!"

"That'll teach you to wake me up at half past five!" she hissed while Walter snickered.

"Aren't you going to tell her of?"

"No, Toby. It was too funny besides you shouldn't have exposed yourself to an attack,"

Ralph grunted before turning around and walking towards the room, a few seconds later, Lillian followed.

"Where are you going?"

"Mozambique!" Lillian shouted slamming the door.

Toby started crashing the pans together again. The bedroom door flew open and out marched a very angry Ralph who snatched the pans from the doctor before going back to the room and slamming the door.

After a few hours they were awaken – gently I might add – by Paige,

After walking down the step to reach the carpet, they saw Paige's confused face.

"Why, exactly are there two pans in this room?" Paige asked "Is it some genius experiment or something."

"Alas no." Lillian replied. "Toby and Wall decided that it would be a nice idea to wake us up by crashing these pans together. We had to confiscate them until they learn how to properly use them and that misuse of cooker-ware is not okay."

Paige picked them up.

"I don't see what's so bad about that."

"It was a half-past five."

"Toby slept here?"

"That's the logical assumption, you did too." Ralph stated

"Well yeah I did but I didn't know that Toby slept here too. I didn't hear anything."

"That's because this room is sound proof."

"Thank goodness. If Toby waked me up at that time, I'd have slapped him."

"I nurpled him."

Paige laughed: she couldn't exactly tell her off for that. "So why weren't you awake?"

"I'm not getting up two hours early and not get to sleep."

"Well, I'll leave you two to get ready."

While they were eating their breakfast, Walter came to see them.

"Ahh here comes the human alarm clock."

"That was Toby's idea."

"I thought, you're meant to be a genius."

"I am."

"Well for a genius, that was pretty dumb following Toby's idea." Commented Ralph. "Not to mention childish. You're an adult, act like it."

"Ralph you're confusing age with maturity. What is it?" Lillian asked.

"I wanted to see if you're alright."

"I'm fine, though to be honest, I don't really like be woken up quite so early."

After being dropped off at school, Ralph and Lillian tried to get on with school normally which was hard when every kid tried to talk to them.

"If one more person asks me how we hacked into the website and got away with it then I shall not be reasonable for my actions." The remark surprisingly came from Ralph.

"I highly doubt that the teachers will see it that way. Let's keep our heads down and try not to attract too much attention." Lillian responded, who in the time that she had lived with her father had learnt not to leap form the frying pan into the fire.

"I hardly expected that you'd be the one to try and calm me down." Ralph commented ruefully.

"You can thank you mum for that." Lillian answered and continued when Ralph blushed. "Seriously Ralph, she may not be a genius when it comes to what we do on a daily basis but she is one when it comes to emotion. She helping me become more social."

"Hi Lillian! Hi Ralph." Luciana Davison from Class three called. She was a nice girl that came all the form Spain and as such she spoke both English and Spanish – something that made her like Lillian and therefore got to know Ralph.

"Hey Luciana!"

"I heard you two were back today. I knew that you were innocent."

"You did?"

"Yeah, you're geniuses! You'd wouldn't do anything that stupid."

"You'd be surprised Lose." Lillian snorted "My dad hacked NASA at my age."

"Well, I knew that you would have at least made sure you'd make sure they'd not find out or something. I don't really know; I'm not a genius."

When they arrived home, Collins was there. Mark that is, not Matthew.

"Hello!"

"It's you again."

"Yes it is."

"You're here for Lillian."

"Are you going to just stand there and state the obvious or are you actually going to go away?"

"I'm not leaving Lillian." Ralph growled.

"Just go Ralph." Ralph hesitated before leaving. "Where are the rest of Scorpion?"

"I was hoping you'd tell me that."

"I may be a genius but I'm not psychic. I've been at school all day." Lillian replied hoping that she didn't give anything away. She wasn't a good liar.

"Oh well. It doesn't matter. I hope that you'll co-operate."

"Why should I?"

"Well, unless you want your family to be hurt you'll do as I say."

"What do you want?"

Collins revelled a box with things that would be needed to forge notes.

"Get to work."

Lillian 'obeyed' but not before setting her phone to record.

"Where's HG?"

"HG?"

"Horatio Gonzales. I'd thought he'd never miss the change to see me under someone's thumb."

"He is of no use. He can rot in jail for all I care."

"So you're not going to help him?"

"No, just needed to him tell that."

"Do you know why he hates me?"

"Don't you know?"

"If I knew I wouldn't ask."

"And what makes you think I'm going to tell you?"

"For your ego."

"He hates you because of Jamie."

"What's he got to do with it?"

Collins laughed "You really do know? He wasn't your brother."

"I know."

"He was your cousin, his dad was your mothers half-brother and he knew Horatio because his dad got Horatio's in jail and your evidence helped convict him. This was two years before he died from a heart attack."

"I don't remember any trial. "

"You wouldn't. They just gave you a puzzle to solve and you solved it. He hated your family."

"Was he behind my mother's crash?"

"No. Enough chatting get on it, I want forgeries of those notes that will collapse the economy."

"Collins?"

"Yeah?"

"Never admit your plan."

The door swung open and Cabe talked Collins.

"You'll never get any evidence."

"We don't need any. You just confessed." Lillian replied showing the phone before tapping away. "And it's been backed up."

After Collins was arrested, Cabe came back.

"After he found out that the Collins brothers planned to dump him, Horatio told us everything. The three are going away for life, considering previous crimes unless they are found innocent." Cabe told them. "With the evidence provided I don't see how they will get out of this one."

"You never know. Lillian, I wanted to say thank-you for going through with the plan. I know Collins isn't your enemy."

"No problem." Lillian smiled, "Your Arch nemeses are my Arch nemeses."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen:

Where it all went wrong

 **I am thinking of getting the children to hook up their parents. I got really good results for my GCSE's and I am proud of myself for that. Enjoy. Keep reading. Keep happy. Keep enjoying.**

"What's with the monkey suits?" Toby asked Paige as he watched Ralph and Lillian join Walter. Ralph was wearing a suit and Lillian, who had a sleepover at Ralph's house, was wearing a matching one.

"Picture day. It's so cute, they wanted matching suits and to pick it out."

Toby frowned. "You don't see what's going on there?"

"See what?"

Toby sighed and turned to Lillian and Ralph who were looking at the car's engine with Walter.

"Hey you two, why don't you do Uncle Toby a favour and take your jackets off? You don't want to get oil on it."

"Better rolls up those sleeves too just to be on the safe side." Happy added.

That's when she saw it. Her son and her virtual daughter looked identical to Walter. If one Walter wasn't bad enough, three were just too much to handle.

"Congratulations! You are raising two Walters." Toby congratulated.

"Oh god!"

"Lillian! Ralph!" Sylvester called running through the garage clutching two silver Super Fun Guy action figures. "My action figures are here!"

"Look on the bright side they could be emulating Sylvester." He pointed out.

"They came this morning; they're very rare. They're silicone rubber, composite prototype of the original Super Fun Guy action figures from the 1970s. I got my hands on two. Tomorrow morning, I'll be receiving the rest of the gang: the Giggler, Sir Jokes-A-Lot, Zany Zoey, the entire team! Just like us!" 

"Cool." Lillian said miserably "But we're not a part of Scorpion."

"Hey, of course you are, remember Lillian you hacked that Japanese warship and Ralph helped us crack that video game that caught those bad guys. You are both very important members of the team."

"Yeah, that's exactly why these are for you." Sly told them after handing over the two action figures.

"They can't have that."

"Thank-you." They said in unison.

"Okay now, off to school." Paige ordered indicating the car with her head.

"It's okay! I have, like, four."

"Racecars, collectable toys: you guys spoil them."

Cabe was walking with Marrick who was telling him about the next case that Scorpion would have to solve. It wasn't good. Several lives were under threat, and to make things worse the Bagdad bombings were coming back to as Merrick said 'to bite us in the ass." If the truth came up, well Cabe didn't like to think about it. A neurotoxin research facility was taken over by an unknown hacker. The hacker made demands that everything on the Bagdad incident was to be released and to be released on air.

"We have any leads on this guy?" Cabe asked, nervous not just for the lives at steak but for the relationship between him and Walter- the son he never had.

"Homeland hasn't been able to trace the e-mail communiqué that's been coming in to HQ. Bouncing off servers all over the world. All we know is that it came in from a cell phone." Merrick replied sounding grave.

"Time frame?"

"Perp wanted POTUS on the air within 90 minutes or we'd be sorry- that was 40 minutes ago. So get your team to the site ASAP. The media already has wind that something's up. Before you know it, it'll be a circus."

With that Merrick left making Cabe to his thoughts. He couldn't worry about his relationship with the boy now. Thousands of lives could be at stake. Now wasn't the time to be distracted.

"As this poor guy, Jim, already learned, his O2 levels are at the bottom rung. We need to figure out a way in ASAP."

"I can rig a charge to blow through that door in five minutes." Happy suggested

"No go. All doors are computer-controlled. We breach 'em, the hacker sees this on the system, and instantly releases the gas." The S.W.A.T Leader replied.

"It's not just the door that won't let us in- whoever hacked this lab set up some sort of block that I've never seen before. I can't even get within a mile of the network." Sylvester added.

It just seemed like whatever they did there was something stopping them form a solution and as Walter shared his concerns about his involvement of the case, Cabe felt even more worried. Sooner or later Walter would be sure to find that out. There was no point in denying it because it was so likely. However Cabe didn't have time to think about that now, so he tried to push that thought to the back of his mind and concentrate on the matter in hand but it was easier said than done.

"We got a job to do. Okay?" Cabe reassured but he didn't know if it was for him or Walter.

"HQ's got another E-mail. I've told you what I wanted. You've give me nothing. Time's up."

"Three sentences- issue, application, conclusion. He's using the language of someone who's about to take action."

"Something's wrong!"

In the lab the women was desperately trying to recuse her fiancée who was dying quicker by the second. He couldn't breath and couldn't take off his helmet. It didn't look good and Scorpion could only watch.

"Jim, no, hang on, okay?" She tried again and again to bypass the security but it just wouldn't happen meanwhile Jim was still gasping for breath.

"It's not working! Damn it!"

"I have to open my mask. I can't breathe."

"No! Oh, God, Jim, hold on! Do not remove your helmet! Just hold on!"

"He takes that off, he's dead in seconds." Toby stated, as if it wasn't clear enough.

"Don't take off your helmet, okay? Hold on..." she banged on the windows as if hitting them would set her loved one free.

Jim's need for oxygen made him ignore the advice and he ripped of his helmet taking a deep breath. Seconds later he collapsed and his fiancé sobbed in a heap next to him, only separated by glass but to Sarah, it was the longest distance in the world.

Everyone looked round as the news sunk in. One person had died.

"Hacker's now saying that everyone dies in 60 minutes if we don't give in to his demands." Merrick announced not looking in the least bit phased by the fact a man had just been killed.

"We got to get in there now!" Cabe shouted.

"Yelling doesn't help. I don't even have a digital foot in the door. He basically made the entire system invisible, and I don't know how." Sly retorted

"Structural?"

"Well, the third time I've been through the blueprints- no weaknesses. Unless we can un-hack those security doors, we're not getting in."

"She's breaking down." Paige announced after looking at Sarah with deep concern.

"At a base level, we're feeling the same frustration as her- outside looking in. Helpless is a destructive emotion"  
"Wait, wait, wait. Stop, stop, stop. Outside looking in. We need to do that. We need to look into the building- right now we're out here trying to jump on an external network signal- but we can't. Maybe that's because the problem is internal." Walter explained. "Like an actual physical compromise to the building's internal server. The hacker's been manipulating a system he did not design. He could've overloaded certain portions of it, like burnt circuits, wiring, and if that's so, that's why we can't get into the system from out here."

"Fried hardware. We fix it, we can get control of the system and then we can retake control of the building." Happy concluded

"Exactly. Now, we need to search the blueprints for the server hub." Walter brought the blueprints over for the whole team to see.  
Merrick reentered the room with a phone in his hand. His face was serious but then his face was always serious.

"Gallo. Just got off the horn with the White House. Bodies dropping are bad press, but POTUS still can't be puppet-mastered by some thug. So they found a middle ground." Merrick announced.

"An appeasement?"

"We're gonna release all Intel related to the Baghdad bombing in a massive document dump, everything from combat weather reports to supply requisitions. So it looks as if it's a run-of-the-mill declassification of records."

This was just the news that Cabe had been dreading. Maybe he could persuade Merrick to 'accidently forget' some parts of the classified files.

"Based on what the hacker's looking for, is it necessary to release all documents from the Baghdad operation, particularly certain memorandum between you and I a few days prior to the bombing?" Asked Cabe hoping that Merrick would agree to this.

"We're mid-standoff, and you want me to cherry-pick out data so you don't hurt your relationship with your little pal?"

"O'Brien is instrumental to Scorpion and national security. Anything that might disrupt that..." Cabe tried but he was interrupted by his boss.

"I am Homeland Director. So I will worry about what disrupts national security."

Of course Merrick wouldn't agree to it, he had in for Walter since day one. He was a petty, bald-headed idiot who was threatened by the great intelligence of Scorpion. His jealously of them made him be a childish jerk that cared for nothing but the disruption of Scorpion even over the safety of his country.

Oh well. It was propally best that Walter knew. It wouldn't be easy and the kid sure would hate him but he dissevered to know and the longer he put it off the worse it would be. If Walter was going to save these people then he would need to know all the facts. His relationship with Walter meant the world to him but this was the literal world at steak.

With his mind made up he went over to Toby.

"Hey, have O'Brien meet me out the back. It's important." He ordered of the shrink.

"There are things about Baghdad that you don't know." Cabe started. Well there was no going back now.

"What things?"

"Son, I was honest with you when I told you that I had no idea the government planned to use your technology for munitions instead of aid packages. You were just a kid. I would never have lied to you."

"I already know this."

"Son, you know how I feel about you."

"Cabe, what are you trying to tell me?"

"Three days before the bombs were dropped, Merrick told me of the true agenda."

"You knew they were gonna drop bombs?"

"Not at first. Just three days prior."

"And you never told me."

"I was concerned that if I did, you would disable your software and sabotage the mission."

"That's exactly what I would have done."

"And you would've gone to prison for doing so, and I would've been tried for treason. Son, I had no idea that civilians would've been killed. The target was an Iraqi leader. Come on, Walter. Say something."

"If you're done, I have work to do."

With that Walter left and went back to the team. They could sense that something was up immediately but Walter ignored the questions that were being asked and focused on the mission. Cabe could be ignored for now but the lives that were threatened could not.

Walter went to speak with Sarah but Paige stopped him telling him that she needed someone emotional to get Sarah to do what they wanted and needed no more people would die.

Meanwhile in Ralph and Lillian's school, the children were in the Principal's office. It was a new Principal, the last one got fired for a reason that was apparently 'completely unlinked to their suspension'.

"Do you know the meaning of the word appropriateness means?"

"Suitable for a particular purpose, person or occasion." Ralph responded and Lillian nodded too to show that she also understood what the world meant.

"And Lillian, in school do you think that that it's appropriate to explain in detail the effects nerve gas has on the human body?"

"We were doing science." She pointed out.

"It wasn't appropriate Lillian. I know everyone's in a tizzy to over what's going on in the news but we have to keep it appropriate."

Someone knocked on the door and opened it.

"Excuse me Principal Pastorneck; you're needed in Mr. Berger's class." She announced. Pastorneck sighed and followed the women out the door,

"You two, stay here."

As soon as she was gone they went to the computer and looked up the nerves gas news. Ralph clicked on the live news stream.

" _In addition to SWAT, Homeland Security, and the FBI, independent government contractor, Team Scorpion, is on the case. Considering the stakes, they'll need all hands on deck."_

Lillian turned to Ralph. "We need to help."

"Agreed." Ralph replied closing the search engine down. "Time to be a part of the team."

Ralph pulled out this student ID badge and used it to unscrew a screw that stopped the window opening fully. They slipped through the window, closing it afterwards and ran down the path and towards the mission.

"I'm putting you on speaker so you can hear from the rest of our team."

"Hi, Sarah. Um, can you open the panel and point your camera at it? Great."

"Nothing out of the ordinary." Sly stated

"Oh, oh. Okay, um, the large red cables to your left, can you move them to the side? Let's see behind it. Yeah. There it is." Walter spotted pointing to the screen

"Oh, boy."

"What?"

"I was right. It is an internal structural problem, but the wires weren't fried- they were cut."

"What do you mean "cut"?" Cabe asked but Walter ignored him.

"Sarah, uh, what is your system-check protocol?" he questioned trying to think.

"I run a diagnostic every morning at 8:15 once everyone's carded into the building."

"And today everything checked out?"

"Yes, no-one's left since."

"Not good."

"What? What's not good?"

Walter turned to her and answered, propally because the question came from Paige and not Cabe. "It was an inside job. The person who cut the wireless, the hacker, is inside the building right now."

"Oh, God." Sarah moaned.

"Sarah, I need you to remain calm." Walter tried "We need you; you are the only one we can count on. Alright first things first, we need to get you back to your control room. All the labs have, and if the hacker sees you, checking server hubs, then that's bad news."

"How do know he didn't see me on the way down here?"

"He would've killed you already." Toby told her, a bit insensitive. Paige thumped his arm.

"What? It's true."

"What is wrong with you?" she muttered.

Sly ignored them but spoke to Sarah. "Okay, based on hallway dimensions and security camera points of view, I can calculate the blind spots along the way back to the control room."

But Sarah wasn't listening; instead she was banging on the doors. "Get me out of here!"

"She's historical." Toby stated.

"Whoever killed Jim is in the building with me."

Cabe took over.

"Sarah, this Agent Cabe Gallo Homeland security. You are going to have to trust us. If you keep drawing attention to yourself, who's ever in there will see you. Now, you know we can't get through those doors. Trust is the only way that this is going to work. We trust you to get the job done, you trust us to keep you safe"

"Just shut up!" Walter shouted. Everyone turned their heads to Walter. "Shut up. Shut up, Cabe."

"Walter." Paige started but she was ignored.

"Sylvester, get Sarah safely back to the control room. And, Cabe, you do not get to tell anybody to trust you ever again."

"Ok, take it easy."

"You've slipped so easily into asking people to trust you when you want something from them."

"Walter, let's talk about this." Cabe suggested calmly.

"No! I'm not going to be tricked into believing you again." Walter shouted "Not a second time. So, director, We'll do So, Director, we'll do everything that we can to save these people's lives, but... once this case is concluded, I want Agent Gallo off Scorpion. I do not want to work with him ever again. I don't want him near my daughter."

That shocked the rest of the team. They had no idea why Walter was shouting at Cabe but it must be serious. Cabe started at him hurt. He knew that Walter would be angry but he never expected this.

"Uh bro, let's take a breath." Toby recommended

"No, let's no take a breath I want Gallo out or I quit. End of story."

Silence filled the room this was worse than when Walter fired Toby. Then Merrick nodded and Cabe left. The room was still in shocked silence which was broken when Sylvester asked a question on everybody's mind.

"What just happened?"

"Nothing important." Walter responded shaking his head.

"It seemed important. Very important."

"Not more than saving the lives of the people in this facility." Walter replied "Starting with Sarah who needs you to get her out of that control room."

"Sarah, hug the wall to your left and go to the…" he guided.

Paige went up to Walter.

"Can we just calcify that you're saying that Cabe is no longer on the team?" Paige asked, giving him an excuse to change his mind.

"Consider it calcified." He shot back. "Ok so we know that the hacker is sending e-mails vis cell phone. Let's pull up surveillance footage of a-a minute prior to when we received each e-mail. Look for, uh, suspicious behavior."

"That's gonna take a minute."

Paige went to leave the room but Walter stopped her.

"Hey! We have a job to do."

"This _is_ my job."

Paige joined Cabe outside. When he saw here, Cabe assumed her reasoning for being there.

"If he's asking me to leave to premises, I will not leave until the job's done."

"Even if he'd said it I-I wouldn't have passed it on."

Cabe eye's looked regretful behind his sunglasses. I always knew I'd have to tell him to truth about Bagdad."

"He's not the only member of this team. He cannot make unilateral decisions."

"It's his worst nightmare and mine too. Which is why I tried to come clean 50 times but I didn't have the guts."

"I will do everything I can to help mend it. Ok"

"The last time took 16 years. This maybe it."

Walter appeared at the door. "Paige. We may have something. If you care to be kept apprised."

Paige turned to Cabe as if to ask for permission to leave.

"Go." Cabe ordered and Paige nodded, patted him reassuringly on his chest and left.

"Okay, these are each of the five zones of the building." Sly explained.

"The threatening e-mails were received at 8:43, 9:39, and 11:08." Toby indicated

"Just before each of them were sent, this figure ducks into a blind spot. He goes beyond the view of cameras. He goes somewhere we can't see him. 30 seconds later we get an e-mail." Sly continued

"Okay, run the guy against employee files." Ordered Walter

"Did Cabe leave? Is he seriously gone?" Sly asked

"He's outside. Not going anywhere." The last part of which was addressed to Walter.

"Okay. We are looking at Dr. Simon Boyd. Neurobiologist."

"We can't go in guns blazing on a guy just for e-mailing." Merrick pointed out fairly obviously.

"You shouldn't go in guns blazing at all. This guy works in Tox Storage. From this office, he has the ability to release sarin gas into any test lab in this building."

"Not just the ability but the desire. High profile event, unattainable demands- this is more of a suicide mission than a hostage situation."

"If he's that crazy, I can guarantee he's hooked up the Tox Storage to the entire ventilation system. From the specs, it'd be simple to do."

"All right, the only way to take back the building and open the doors is to get inside and replace the server cable that was cut."

"No one's been able to get inside all morning."

"Yeah, that's just because we haven't thought about it hard enough. There's always an answer- we just need to find it."

"All the doors are locked, and I'm assuming this perp- if he is our perp- is watching the surveillance monitors." Merrick grunted unhelpfully.

"He is. He's got access to all the same footage that we do."

"He's absolutely our guy. Government records say he started his career studying the effects of neurotoxin in Baghdad 16 years ago. He returned from his trip to Jordan to find his entire neighborhood decimated. Among the wounded was his fiancée, left comatose and on life support until 18 months ago, when she died. Just before he began working here."

"When he started studying the facility, finding its weaknesses, planning his revenge."

"Okay, uh, let's all put our minds toward finding a way into the building without passing surveillance cameras or opening computerized doors or sensors."

"I know there are lives at risk. But you may be exacerbating that risk by sidelining one of the team." Paige reasoned she knew it might not be the right time but this was important and Cabe might be able to help. Walter knew what she was trying to saying and that he wasn't interested.

"I can fill the gap. He's a distraction."

"He's a friend." She corrected

"Okay, I got it- level nine government research lab. It's required to burn all its documents because shredded paper can always be put back together."

"In other words, we go in through the incinerator because there's no surveillance on it."

"We'll have to go past a flame burning at roughly 750 degrees." Sylvester announced not liking where this was going.

"We hack the municipal gas line, shut down the incinerator. Uh, residual heat will be intense, so, uh, we'll need heat-resistant suits from the fire department." Merrick nodded – they'd get the suits.

"How are you climbing down? Rope will combust, cable or chain could weaken and break."

"Guys what did Elia give me this morning?"

"Everything short of an open mouth kiss" Toby retorted

Walter, who had decided to ignore Toby's frankly extremely humorless reply, answered his own question.

"A magnet. A magnet. The vent's made of steel alloy. We need magnets. Powerful ones."

Toby and Happy came running with magnets.

"Those news guys weren't too thrilled that we dismantled their edit bays to get these magnets.

Walter was being suited up. "Yeah well they'll survive, the people inside might not. Sylvester, where are we?"

Sly's voice could be heard through the comms. "I've got good news and bad news which do you want first?"

"Uh, the good."

"Well getting into the municipal system was a cinch, their password was 1234. The bad is, this facility has its own internal natural gas supply. It's a fail-safe in case heat-sensitive experiments are left running and the city gas goes out. It will also restart the incinerator."

The good news wasn't that good but the bad news was really bad: typical.

"Shut down the backup, too." Paige suggested

"I could control the backup if the server cable was functioning, but it's not."

"How long before the backup reignites the incinerator?"

"Three minutes or 90 seconds, depending on the model, which isn't specified in the blueprints."

"Okay, we'll move fast. Toby, suit up."

"Toby, stay here. Walter, you're sneaking into a facility controlled by a madman. If you were thinking logically, versus emotionally, the person going with you would be carrying a gun and know how to use it. That's Cabe." Paige explained when Walter shot her a look.

"I have to go in with someone I can trust. Cabe is deceitful and deceptive."

"Okay, we'll talk later about the number of times he's proved otherwise. Right now you cannot save anyone if you're killed the second you enter the building. Consider the greater good."

"All right. Just say the word when you're ready."

"My own personal invention: a soldering pen, or flip the switch... and it cuts faster than an arc torch. You'll be able to patch the network cable in no time." Happy told Walter and also Cabe who was suiting up. "These have a flux output of N52, so it's gonna take all the upper arm strength you've got. It'll be just like rock climbing. On magnets. Down a... blazing hot metal tube."

Before they get off tract Paige gave a sensible suggestion. "Why don't we get moving? Comms in everyone."

Cabe looked away in despair "Got it."

"Hey. Good luck."

"Gonna need it." Cabe muttered

"Sylvester, kill the gas." Walter ordered

Sly did so and in seconds the fire was out and Walter and Cabe were entering the tube.

"Walter." Cabe tried but 197 didn't want to talk.

"Just keep conversations to the bare essentials."

"How many times do we have to save each other's lives before you realize I'm not the same guy that made that mistake?"

"I said only the bare essentials." Grow the hell up.

"People might die here today and you're only thinking about yourself."

"Thanks to you, I don't sleep."

"Recurring nightmares... You think you're the only one that has those dreams?" Cabe shouted not thinking that the 'blazing metal tube' wasn't the best place to have an argument with. This point was proved to the extreme when only seconds later Sly's panicked voice cut them.

"You guys are gonna need to fight later, because the incinerator just turned back on!"

And sure enough a burning yellow rumbled below before being kicked in fully. Just a few feet below Walter and Cabe an inferno was burning and swirling like a deadly dancer.

"Evidently we're dealing with the 90-second model." The poor attempt at humor did nothing to decrease the apprehension in the team.

"Aah! Our suits won't protect us long under these new conditions. We need to climb up and regroup."

"Walter. My magnets are slipping."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, what's happening in there?"

"Excessive heat causes atoms to speed up, decreasing magnetic domains. This lack of cohesion weakens magnetic force."

"Cut the science lesson. I'm headed toward a burning furnace! Walter, I'm losing ground here." All thoughts of this argument with Cabe vanished from his mind as he saw his childhood mentor slip and slowly drop to the blazing inferno.

"It's 'cause you're heavier than me. Guys, we got to come up with a solution fast."

"Okay, they can't go down; we can't reach them to pull them back up."

"Through the side?" Paige suggested and Happy started at her.

"Just throwing ideas out, here." The ex-waitress clarified throwing her hands up in defense.

"No, no, that's brilliant. Walt, the soldering pen. Slide the handle switch to torch mode and it should slice the vent wall."

"Leading to what? If there's a concrete wall beside the vent it doesn't help."

"And that is what's beside the vent, unless you're 17 feet down from the vent opening facing north, where there is a crawl space." Toby informed them.

"Okay, I put you about 15 feet down. And, uh, north is toward me."

"Okay. Okay. I need a hand free to operate the torch. Come on, come on, come on. Ooh, ooh. Oh." Walter slipped his hand from the magnets and tried to hold on when he swung a little.

"Walter!" Shouted in concern.

"Walter, I'm headed towards oblivion."

"When you get to my foot, grab hold and I'll pull you up into the hole when it's cut."

"My weight'll pull you down." Cabe pointed out.

"So only grab hold of my foot after I get a grip on the cut inside the vent shaft. All right, here we go." Walter started to cut through the metal.

Lillian and Ralph finally arrived at the scene but was spotted and stopped by a police officer.

"Kids, what are you going?"

"We're part of the Scorpion team." Ralph answered

The cop shook his head. "No, this is no place for you." He told them "Come with me. Sit in my squad car until I can call your parents."

"I can two school kids here…"

Lillian climbed over the seats and Ralph followed, who turned tried to find the comms signal which he managed with ease.

Unaware that the kids were so nearby, Sly was panicking over the readings on the vent.

"Oh, geez. The vent temperature is nearing 400 degrees!" Sly declared.

Cabe looked up at Walter who was still desperately cutting.

"Kid, I got a few seconds, then you're gonna be out of reach."

"I need more time!"

"I don't think we have any and if that's the case hear me out."

Walter ignored him. "I have no intention of listening to another apology right now, because we are going to get out of here."

Walter finished and he pushed through the metal and quickly grabbed onto the concreate wall.

"Grab onto my foot!"

"I can't reach it!"

"Grab onto my foot! Climb up!"

"I… I can't grab it."

Walter lowered his leg and Cabe tried and was this time successful.

Agonisingly they climbed out and took their breath.

"Thank you, Walter. Thank you."

"We're not finished yet. Sylvester, lead us to the server hub."

"Come on. Simon's out of frame again. I'm guessing he's about to put our feet to the fire. So to speak."

"Incoming e-mail. 'You have five minutes to prove the president will meet my demands on live television or the hostages are dead. You have five minutes until I kill these people.'"

"How long?"

"The server cable will be repaired in 30 seconds. Then Sylvester can regain control of the building. Get to Zone 5, evacuate the hostages, then Zone 4, et cetera, et cetera."

"Not to be the voice of doom, but there's just over four minutes until Simon releases the sarin. And he's not looking at the monitors, so, Cabe, you need to move now."

Walter was busy working away.

"Okay, I'll find Simon, keep him away from the monitors, and you evacuate the hostages."

"The man's psychotic. I handle the face-to-face." Cabe ordered not wanting to put Walter at risk.

"You know the evacuation protocols better than I do. In two minutes I could probably figure them out and improve them, but it's time that we don't have. Cabe, go."

Cabe realised he was right and did what he had suggested.

"Cabe, stay tight to the wall. You need to hug the corner to your left. In front of you should be the door to the lab. The Zone 5 hostages are in that room." Sylvester guided.

"Hey, help! Get us out of here!" the people inside of the room shouted and Cabe pointed to the camera to signal them to be quiet.

"The server's repaired. Sylvester, you should have control of the facility."

"I think... I've got it. The building's ours."

"One minute till he gasses the building."

"Walter, you got to hustle to Simon or I won't be able to get these people out. He's playing the role of hostage, so you play your role." Cabe warned.

"Walter, he sees you."

"Hey." Walter greeted.

"Who are you?" the man questioned

"I'm with SWAT." Walter lied easily "We're trying to figure out a way to get everyone out of here."

"Simon's not facing the monitors. Now, Cabe."

"Everybody, move fast, move fast." Cabe ordered and the scientists ran for their lives. The hacker was looking doubtful.

"How did you get in?" he questioned suspiciously.

"I sawed a hole in the wall of the incinerator exhaust."

"Alone? One-man rescue team?"

"That's right. I'm a recon scout." The hacker looked at his monitors and saw that the scientists were escaping, and he ran to other side of the room,

"Those are the mechanical overrides, Walter. He can still release the sarin gas even though we have control of the computer system."

Walter reacted

"Sly, open the door. Stop, stop, stop, stop. It's me you want. I killed your fiancée. I was responsible for what happened in Baghdad."

"You... are lying to me."

"I was the programming contractor who designed the targeting system for the bombs that killed your fiancée and everyone else. It's me you want. These people are innocent."

"No, what I _want_ is _justice_ for Daliyah. And _that_... you can't give to me." He pulled out a pistol.

"Gun."

"You're not gonna shoot anyone. You don't want there to be any more casualties from today from that bombing. Now, you're distraught over your loss. Simon, I get it. But you're not a bad man." Walter told him calmly.

"Zone 3 is evaced. I'm all clear here. I got to go help Walter."

"You keep evacuating the others." Walter ordered into the comms: a big mistake.

"Who are you talking to? Give me that earpiece. Now. Now!"

"The world is now gonna see how she suffered."

"Simon, listen to me. Simon, stop!"

"He released the sarin."

"Now, I'm gonna take him outside and kill this man on live TV!

"Move!"

"Uh, guys, the gas is in Zone 5, which means you have less than five minutes to get out of the building."

Lillian hacked into the laptop in front of her meanwhile, Cabe burst through the lap door.

"Sarah, we have to go!"

"I can't leave him."

"There's nothing you can do for him. Simon's released the gas."

"If it's coming through the ventilation system, it kicks on zone by zone, one at a time so it doesn't overload."

"What zone goes first? 5 down to 1."

"Walter's in Zone 1. How much time do we have?"

"Only about a minute per zone. Tops!"

Lillian was looking through the documents to find the right number then sent a message to one of the police officers, actually the one that had made them sit in the car.

To 'Officer McEwan'

From 'Police Chief Cody'

McEwan, get to the South side of the building NOW!

Need backup!

The kids watched as McEwan got the message and they watched as they ran away while the child geniuses slipped out to help the team. It was easy to get in the building now that it wasn't under hacker control.

"By the time Walter and Simon are outside, I want sharpshooters on the bluff across the street and the rooftop on the other side of the parking lot." Cabe declared."

"No way. I'm three minutes away from bugging everyone out for a mile radius of here." Merrick answered. "The incinerator's vent has a hole that you made. So once the gas is released into Zone 1, it can escape from the vents and kill all of us."

Meanwhile Lillian and Ralph were in the building running down the corridor.

"What was that? Is that a person?" Sly asked

"Where?"

"Middle camera, moving north. There."

"Oh, my God. That's Ralph and Lillian. Lillian and Ralph are in the building!"

"How the hell did they get in there? What are they doing in there?!"

"Paige, you don't know where you're going! Happy!" Toby shouted

"They're heading north into Zone 1. What the hell are they thinking?" Happy informed them. They were all worried, these kids meant everything to them and if they got hurt, then they'd all be devastated.

"No idea, but they're crawling into a vent shaft that leads to the crawl space that Walter and Cabe took from the incinerator vent!"

"Oh man!" Toby knew what was happening. "Oh, man. They that if that gas is released in Zone 1, it will escape through the hole in the vent. They're trying to save the city."

"Oh, uh, Sly, Walter fixed the server hub. You shut down the incinerator now!"

Walter had absolutely no clue that his daughter and Ralph were in the incinerator tube. If he had then he would've done something stupid.

"I have spent my life since the bombing raids trying to atone for the deaths. I will not rest until I have saved at least that number that have died. Please do not add any more lives to that list. It's already too late."

"The incinerator is shut off. But I can't see Ralph or Lillian. They're off the surveillance grid."

"Once the gas is released into Zone 1, how long before it escapes through the incinerator hole?"

"With average seepage rates, 48 seconds." Sylvester informed him.

"I'm calling an evac! Kid get off your ass!"

Sylvester shook his head. There was too much at stake.

"You can go! I will not."

Merrick went clapping his hands. "Come on people move it! Let's go! Let's go!"

Ralph and Lillian crouched through the small hole and Ralph picked up the metal. They looked at each other and they seemed to have to same idea at the same time.

"Please tell me that Mr Galore didn't confiscate your figure."

"No, I hid it."

"Good. You're thinking what I'm think aren't you?" Lillian asked and Ralph confirmed it with a nod.

"I think so."

They climbed down the chute and Lillian unzipped Ralph's backpack and handed him the silicone figure. Ralph was pulling the metal forward, grunting with the hard work.

"Sorry Sylvester." Ralph muttered while Lillian took over holding the metal in place so that Ralph could concentrate on sealing the hole.

Toby, Happy and Sly ran across to the incinerator to see what was going on.

"Ralph! Lillian!" Paige yelled

"Mum! We're almost done!"

"Yeah, just give us some time!" Lillian shouted.

"They're melting the silicone rubber to seal the hole, those kids are brilliant!" Toby stated

"Okay, without a thermal fire suit, even with the incinerator off, the heat in the vent is 128 degrees. Kids Their age won't last long."

"Ralph, Lillian you need to climb out right now! Right now!" Paige shouted

"I'm begging you. Please don't let any more blood spill over this Baghdad tragedy." Walter, still unaware of the mayhem outside requested.

"As soon as you step outside, you're done, you son of a bitch." Cabe mumbled.

"Cabe, we are running out of time. There's only ten seconds until the gas reaches Zone 1."

"You're so concerned for your own life. Could you imagine if you cared about other people, thousands would still be alive." He taunted

"I wasn't talking about my life. I was talking about yours." Walter countered and he disarmed the hacker and ran out of the doors. Just in time too because they shut seconds after. However the hacker was trapped inside.

"Nice job, son." Walter didn't seem to think so,

"Drop your gun! Drop your gun! Kick it away! I'll figure out a way to get you out of there alive! Listen to me! I don't want you to die!"

"Two seconds, Cabe."

"I don't want you to die! Listen to me! Drop the gun! I don't want you to die!"

The hacker smiled at him as he fell to the floor, dead.

Ralph Lillian were climbing out as fast as they could which was pretty fast considering. Paige was reaching down so that they didn't have to climb up to far.

"Almost, honey. You're doing great."

No sooner had she said that, did the incinerator start up again.

Walter turned around, upset about the hacker's death.

Cabe shouted to him "Walter! Listen! Lillian and Ralph are in the building! They're in the incinerator chute!"

Walter forgot the resent death and ran as fast as he could to the roof where he heard Paige. Toby and Happy cry out.

"Sly, the incinerator!"

"Someone must've pulled the server cable again because everything reset!"

Walter didn't have time to feel guilty, because his kids were in danger. He rejoined the other members of the team.

"Faster! Climb faster! Climb faster. Come on, come on. Come on." Paige cried.

"Whoa." Lillian cried out as she slipped slightly.

"Lillian!" Walter screamed alerting everyone to his presence.

"Magnets!"

Walter and Paige were being lowered further down the chute.

"Lillian! Ralph! Faster! Climb!" Paige yelled.

"Lower us down further!" Paige ordered. And they were soon joined by Cabe and Sly to help them.

Walter and Paige grabbed their children and the team helped pull them up.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Paige yelled and Walter's face showed that he felt very much the same thing.

"We had to help! For the greater good! We're part of the team." Ralph explained and Walter and Paige pulled them in for a hug while everyone else caught their breath.

"Hazmat should have this building Wrap it up. Now let's discuss this, uh, personnel change you demanded."

"Hey, Walter!" Walter turned to see two children run towards them.

"Hey."

"Hey, take care of them. We'll finish up tomorrow."

"Okay. Let me see it. Oh, that's the way a champion looks. Give me that. You did a great job you two, even if it was incredibly dangerous not to mention to fact that you've broken about six laws. I'll have a word with the school tomorrow and see if I can get Homeland to explain the circumstances for you leaving school- without permission."

"Hey, I'm going to take Ralph home."

"Think you can take Lillian too? I have a lot to attend to."

Paige nodded. "Sure, she can sleep at my mine tonight."

"Thanks, I'll drop some stuff off."

She turned to Ralph and Lillian and smiled.

"Come on buddy, love, let's go."

Cabe walked up to Walter.

"Nice work."

"Was it? It saw two more added to the list. Ralph and Lillian almost died. It would have been better if we didn't have to safe my daughter and Ralph from impending doom."

"Kid, they're going to be fine. You'll teach them that they can do that won't you? What happened when you were sixteen what happened when you were 16- it's the worst thing I ever did in my life. I regret nothing more."

"I'm not your kid, not anymore." Walter grunted coolly

Cabe nodded. "Fine. Then I'll resign from Scorpion effective immediately."

"Once again, the government contractors known as Scorpion have used their incredible abilities to save lives against staggering odds. One can only imagine the pride and sense of accomplishment they must be feeling right now, and what's in store for this unique group of geniuses." The women from the TV which Toby turned off he didn't want or need to irony.

Walter placed a box on the desk.

"Cabe will be coming back for these- government case files."

"For shredding, just like our income." Toby grumbled miserably.

"We will survive, thrive even." Walter told him.

"Is there really no way that he's coming back? I mean... ever?"

"Trust was our only bond, and that's been eroded way too far."

"I don't like being a pessimist."

"You're always a pessimist." Toby pointed out.

"But him leaving... Walt, it's... not good."

The door opened and they looked up to see who it was. It was Paige.

"How's the kids? Uh, resting with Ralph's dad."

"Walter?"

Walter went to her and gave her a washbag and clothes.

"Thanks for saying Lillian could stay at yours. Yeah. I can tell that you're, uh, concerned about, uh, Cabe's, uh, departure, but I, uh... You know it wasn't him who made this team coalesce. It was you."

Paige ignored him.

"I don't think I can be here anymore."

"Can you repeat that, please?"

"Ralph... admires you, worships you..."

"Uh-huh"

"...copies everything you do, including putting himself in mortal danger. I-I don't think being here is safe. Drew was offered a coaching job in Maine. I'm going to recommend he take it. "

"And you'd go with him?"

"We would move to Maine, yes. I appreciate everything you've done for us."

"Do you see what you're sacrificing by leaving, by taking Ralph away from us?"

"I have to think of his safety."

"Earlier today, you invoked the greater good so that I would team up with Cabe. But do you just throw that term around? Is that why you let Lillian sleep over because you know you're going to separate them?"

"My son nearly died because he wants to be you."

"So did my daughter and I'm not taking my daughter miles away from her only friends! Is it so awful being me? Being around me?"

"What you do with your daughter is up to you. What I do with my son is up to me. I just don't want him to become you!"

"What is your solution? Keep him in a cocoon? Have him watch you, move to Maine to follow some guy who's already abandoned you? That's idiotic! Lillian is Ralph's only friend his age and vice-versa. The negative effects of this on both of them will be astronomical! And for what? So you can live with an overgrown child playing a game to pay the bills. An idiot who doesn't know a thing about being a genius!"

"That guy is his father, Walter. You are not. I... I have to go. Good-bye, guys."

"I don't need her. I don't need Cabe." Walter informed the rest of the team.

"Ralph, Lillian can I speak with you for a minute?" Paige asked

"Look Mum I know what you're going to say…"

"Ralph, please."

"What is it?"

Paige sat on the bed and looked at her son.

"I know you admire Walter, you both copy everything you do but there are things that you shouldn't copy."

"Like putting ourselves in mortal danger." Ralph concluded.

"Right, now as a mother it's my job to keep you safe."

"We know Paige and we won't do it again."

"And I don't think that safe's here."

"Mum, what are you saying?"

"Ralph, your father got a got in Maine, I am going to recommend he take it and we're going with him."

Lillian linked it up. "You mean you're moving to Maine?"

Paige nodded. "That's correct."

"We can't! I don't want to move, Scorpion is the only place that I feel accepted. Lillian's the best friend I've ever had."

"You know we're like siblings and you're taking him away! You're taking my brother 3,317 miles away from me. He'll have no-one. I'll have no-one."

"He will make new friends."

"Yeah then Walter will be normal." Ralph shot back.

"You will. You'll go to a gifted school."

"I'm smarter than they are! I'll still be different."

"And Scorpion needs you! Now that's Cabe's gone – oh don't look so surprised we overheard him and Cabe talking after the case – with Cabe gone it will end and Walter will go back to being the way he was. Then CPS will say he's an unfit parent and I'll be taken away. Don't leave!"

"I'm sorry Lillian my mind's made up."

"Where did we all go wrong?" Ralph asked

"I have to think of your safety Ralph."

"And what about his happiness?"

Walter was driving out of control. He too had worked out exactly the same thing as his daughter. He loved Ralph. No, he wasn't his own child technically speaking but Paige had taught them blood didn't matter, that your relationship with a person makes them your family. She had said several times that Lillian was her daughter in everything but blood and that's how he felt about Ralph. Everyone he cared about would leave. The other three would find out that they were better off without Walter. As soon as that happened he would be alone. A wolf ran across the road and Walter swerved to miss it. The wolf was fine and walked away without injury. The same, unfortunately, could not be said for Walter, who was over the edge of the cliff. He was unconscious One wrong move and he'd be the one leaving – permanently. In two words:

Not good. 


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Problems Resolved

 **I have an announcement to make. In the next few chapters, a guest character will be introduced, and you guys have the chance to make this character up. If you win you will be acknowledged. Anyone can enter. It can be Male or female, a kid or an adult, a genius or a normal –it's up to you. I do however ask that if you choose a genius they don't have an IQ over 197. All you have to do is this:**

 **Give me the name of your character, its gender, age, nationality and if it is a genius or a normal. If it's a genius tell me a bit about them (e.g. IQ, what they specialise in etc.). Also give me three adjectives to describe your character's personality and three for their appearance**

 **After giving your details about the character, write how the character will be introduced. You only need to write a few sentences. Don't worry if you don't know if it will fit with the chapter, I will write the chapter around this.**

 **Post this in the comments before 15** **th** **November 2017. If you are a guest make sure tell me who you want to be referenced as.**

 **Good luck!**

 **Enjoy. Keep reading. Keep happy. Keep enjoying.**

Neither Ralph nor Lillian could sleep that night. They didn't want to either. This was their last night and they weren't going waste it by sleeping.

"It's my fault." Ralph decided

"How is it?"

"It was my idea to leave school."

"I think you'll find that we both had that idea. I don't want you to go! You're my family. My brother and I wouldn't wish for another."

"Our friendship will still last you know. It will always last, even if I was on the other side of the planet."

Lillian sighed and shook her head "Rals you know as well as I do that only 15% of long distance friendships last."

"Well, we will have to be the 15% then won't we?" Ralph replied.

Lillian sat up then paced around the room. "I don't know what to do. I was told that of you love someone you make sure they are safe. If Paige believes that Maine is safe that is so as she is the one who truly knows these things. But I was also told that if you love someone that you make sure that they are happy. I may have no EQ but I know that happy is here."

"There isn't always a straight answer to every question Li, you know that. At least" Ralph answered then he wrinkled his nose. "Is that your phone?"

Lillian went to her bed and picked up a phone.

"O'Brien."

"I don't know why you insist on answering the phone like that."

"Luciana what's wrong?"

"Why would you think there's something wrong?"

"You are calling at a quarter past ten and there is a slight raise in your pitch. That suggests a sense of urgency which suggests that something's wrong."

"I forgot you knew a world class behaviourist."

"Luciana, just tell me what's wrong."

"It's my grandma, she's uh dead."

"Dead?"

"It was all so sudden, look I know you don't understand these things but it's affected the family. I also know that I'm your only friend so I'm just going to come out and say it. We're moving back to Spain to help my grandpa."

"But…"

"Look I know it will be hard but you'll still have Ralph."

"No I won't."

"I understand-"

"No you don't understand! Ralph's moving to Maine. I'm going to be alone!" At that Lillian hung up and threw her phone on to her bed her in bounced, turned over and landed on the pillow.

Paige popped her head around the door and placed herself by Ralph's dresser so that the two child geniuses could see her facial expressions and body language despite the fact that they were in darkness.

"What's all this noise? Ralph, Lillian you are meant to be resting. You have a big day tomorrow."

Lillian scowled; a thing that was most unbecoming for her.

"If the best doctor in the world says we're fine then we don't need rest. Ralph will have plenty of time to rest on the plane. This time tomorrow Ralph will be on the other side of the country and I may never see him again, just give us this night to say goodbye."

Paige looked at Lillian, her eyes full of concern. "There is no need to be dramatic. You'll have new friends and you have that other girl. What's her name, Lucy?"

" _Luciana_ and no I won't because she's moving to Spain. I will alone again. Why does everyone I'm ever with leave me? My mother, Jamie and now Ralph – the people I loved, gone."

"Lillian, you'll always have me. I may be on the other side of the planet but I will never leave you. I could be on another planet but you'll still have me."

"And I you."

The next day, Lillian and Ralph were sitting in the car. Paige couldn't stop because they didn't have enough time but she could drop Lillian off at the garage on her way to the airport.

"If we hack into the most secure banks in the world, and help save the world from threats when we have only just reached double digits then we can keep it contact. We will not abandon this friendship."

Lillian nodded, it wasn't the end but merely the beginning, this friendship would last if it was the last thing they did. She slammed the door shut and waved as the red ford focus drove down the thoroughfare. As it turned left and around a corner it vanished and Lillian knew it would be a long time before she saw that car ever again. The young genius hovered on the pavement for a moment after the car went, as if she expected it to come careering down the empty bystreet again in a few seconds. But of course, it didn't: Ralph was gone and there was nothing Lillian could do. Nothing but wait for Ralph's uncertain but surly delayed and temporary return.

Life goes on however; as the idiom goes, so reluctantly she made herself turn away from the quiet street and pushed open the metal doors. It wasn't what she expected.

She expected Cabe to be complaining about the coffee but Cabe was gone. She expected Happy to be hitting away at her tools but she was just sitting on the sofa, aimlessly staring into space. She excepted Toby to be annoying Sylvester by messing up his desk, and for Sly to declare that Toby was a child, but they weren't, they were sitting at their desks in silence. She expected to see Walter working on his rocket but he wasn't, in fact she didn't see him at all.

The geniuses looked up and when he saw who it was, Toby groaned.

"Oh, it's just Lillian."

Lillian scowled at threw a nearby ball at Toby which hit him right in the face. Bullseye!

"Nice to see you too Toby" She retorted sticking on her smug smile in an attempt to cheer them up. It didn't work.

"I guess the news about Paige, Cabe and Ralph has hit the team hard."

"I guess Paige told you then."

"Yep, right after dinner. We spent the whole night chatting. Where's Walt?"

Happy frowned "That's exactly what we would like to know." She got up and went to the kitchen and came back with a ham sandwich. She pushed it into Lillian's hand.

"You should eat. Clearly 197 is too busy moping to look after his daughter."

Lillian opened her mouth to protest but quickly put the sandwich in her mouth instead. Toby saw the look that Lillian had made and frowned.

"I think that's a bit unfair Happy. I think Walt just went to give Elia his car back." Toby responded "I wonder what our next case will be."

Happy showed clear distain about what Toby had said. "We lost a 1/3 of our team in one night. How many times do I have to tell you before it'll sink in? Scorpion is over."

By this time Lillian had finished her sandwich which was a good thing because there were sudden tears in her eyes.

"I don't want to go back to Care!" she declared and she ran up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door shut.

"Oh nice job Happy!" Toby commented sarcastically.

Toby turned away from the group and walked towards the stairs. Happy, who had an angry scowl plastered on her face, glared at the space that Toby had occupied not five seconds before. By the time Happy had time to react and act on her annoyance, he had gone. So Happy, needing to direct her ire at someone, turned her angry glare Sly.

Sly, who had so far watched the scene in silence (partly out of surprise and partly out of the wise decision to stay out of it), bravely spoke up.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this but for once I agree with Toby." He declared boldly and he waited for the inevitable projectile that would surely fly this way. Unless dodged (another completely unlikely scenario) it would hit him.

It never came. Instead Happy glared at the human calculator as if debating on whether or not she should take her ire out on _him_. After a few agonising, gruelling seconds she gave a huff of annoyance or anger (sly wasn't sure which) then disappeared into the back. Expectantly the noise of a hammer hitting metal resonated off the walls. Sly proved his 184 IQ by deciding to leave her to it. It was the right choice.

Lillian stormed into her room and slammed the door shut. She felt angry. No she felt sad – or was it both? Damn, emotions weren't her thing. She didn't know how she felt or who she felt it with.

She heard mummed voices before the sound of the stairs being ascended followed by a knocking on the door. Well knocking wasn't really the right word for it. It was more of a soft tapping noise then a knock, suggesting whoever it was the person on the other side 'came in peace' as it were as just wanted to talk. It was so soft that infact, Lillian felt that she must have misheard it. However when the second time – Lillian knew she hadn't.

"May I come in?" The voice asked. It was Toby and he had a slight concerned tone underlying in his voice. He was speaking as if he wasn't asking for permission to enter but in his head he was asking another, harder question.

Lillian lifted her head from her pillow which was slightly damp from her tears.

"I have a feeling that you're going to, no matter what I say." She grunted.

"You're right about that." The shrink confirmed and he pushed the door open with a click.

"Whatever it is Toby, I'm not in the wood to talk."

The Doc shrugged his shouldered.

"Then don't I'll do all the talking." He invited himself in and hovered near the bed, but he didn't sit or speak, he just watched for a second while he analysed the child genius. They stayed like that none of them making an effort to start the conversation. They just stayed in a contemplated silence.

Finally Toby broke the silence.

"This is a funny kind of talk."

"You're the one that said you were going to speak and that I needn't say anything." Lillian pointed out.

"Well you're talking now."

Lillian ignored him and stayed looking at her tablet screen.

"What are you looking at?"

Lillian knew that Toby knew but answered him anyway. "The Navier–Stokes equations"

"Is that for Meagan? Do you need help?"

"Yes it's for Meagan and no I don't need help. I'm waiting for Ralph to come back, he can help until then I'm not working on it but looking at it."

"You miss him."

"I miss him."

There was a silence for a few minutes before Toby spoke again.

"You want to go downstairs and mess with Sly?"

Lillian smiled at followed Toby downstairs where they messed with Sly. Lillian took one of Sly's pencil pots and chucked its contents on the floor. Sly grunted.

"Come on Lillian! Is this really the best way to waste your time? I'd expect this behaviour from Toby but not you!"

"Yes but seeing your reaction is so entertaining!"

"That's a bit childish!"

Lillian smiled smugly before sticking her tongue out at him.

"You are forgetting one thing genius! I am a child!"

Happy apologised to Lillian and Lillian accepted it but she kept looking at her watch. She didn't have much time to think because her phone was ringing. Paige.

"O'Brien."

"Luciana's right, it is annoying the way you answer the phone"

"Ralph! I thought it was your mum."

"Yeah I suppose using her phone to call you made you make that assumption. I am saving my phone's charge."

"I thought you might."

"Have you seen Walter? I have called him like 5 times."

"I was going to ask you the same question. He's gone AWOL."

"I have hoping to say good bye to him."

"When's your flight?"

"45 minutes."

"I'll call you if I hear anything."

"Ditto."

"I'm not going to say goodbye. I'm going to say see you soon."

"See you soon."

Lillian turned to the group "That was Ralph. He asking if we have seen Walter. I'm worried. Something's wrong."

Happy nodded "I agree. Walter has blown off an appointment with Meagan. He has never done that, well, not if it was his fault."

They hit upon the idea that they should track his phone but that didn't work. So Happy went to get the VIN number for the car that Walter borrowed. They followed to where the signal said the car was and what they saw was not they suspected. Walter was down the cliff.

"On the count of three we call out his name."

"On three or two three then go?"

"Which is essentially four."

"On three, ready? One, two…"

"WALTER!"

"WALTER!"

"WALTER!"

Walter woke up and picked up.

"Hello?"

"Walter, you are on a cliff edge. One wrong move and you fall 300 feet. Stay very very still."

Lillian, Sly, Toby and Happy were working out a solution. Toby called the police and fire survives and they were on their way but they weren't going to leave Walter's life in their hands. Toby needed to see what damage had been so Happy brought out a surprise.

"We'll have a visual on you in 30 seconds." Happy promised

"Birdroni lives." Sly declared

"It was gonna be your birthday present, but I wasn't done yet. I was gonna mount a camera we'll need one, but I have a solution. Any duct tape in your truck?" Happy explained. Lillian went to fetch the duct tape from the boot feeling that she wasn't being much help. She had to focus, Walter needed her; her father needed her.

The drone was sent down to see what was going on. What the geniuses saw was not good.

"You really did a number on that car, O'Brien." Happy muttered trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, well, I was doing fine until an untimely interface with Mother Nature." He groaned

"This's what I was afraid of." Toby sighed

"So, it's, um, good news?" Lillian asked

Toby shook his head at the girl and then spoke to Walter.

"Walter, you're impaled on what looks like a piece of metal from the guardrail."

"So, it's excellent news then." Lillian replied

"From the colour of the blood and the position of the metal, your body has been able to clot off. Best scenario, we keep it that way until we can get you to a hospital, but that means no movement, nada. The wound is dangerously close to his spleen."

"I thought we don't need the spleen." Lillian questioned

"We don't, but it's basically a giant sack of blood. Never good to lose a giant sack of blood." Walter was panting so he turned back to him "Walter, I know it hurts like hell. You got to stay with me here."

"No, I was just I'm just running some numbers. Okay, so, I-I'm perched on about a 71% grade?"

"Give or take. I don't have my protractor." Happy answered not liking where this was going.

"I do- 71.8." Sly replied helpfully

"All right, okay, so, given my precarious hold on the Cliffside, the extent of my injuries, the time needed for successful rescue, Sylvester, would you put this at about a 97% chance of death?" Not really realising that his daughter was nearby.

"You know, Walter, I've never put much faith in numbers." Sylvester answered unconvincingly

"That's the police. I'll coordinate. They need to know who they're dealing with here."

"You don't handle authority well! This is Paige's job." Sylvester pointed out

"Yeah, we don't need her."

"Paige. Where's Paige?"

"Taking a little R&R." Happy Responded and when her boss indicated to ablate, she sighed and continued. "She's taking Ralph to Portland to see Drew. I told her it was a stupid idea."

Lillian looked up "She says it's 'just for the weekend' but we all know that's rubbish. I'd call her but I want to get you out of danger first."

"Guys why what on earth is Lillian doing here?" Walter demanded

"I am helping you get out of this mess! You said before that I'm the smartest person here so for god's sake take off you parent head."

"I can't just take off my 'parent head' Lillian. You are not helping and that's final."

"Yeah well there's nothing you can do about down there, is there?"

"Lills remember when you first came to the garage and you and Happy bonded over you two locking me in the interview room?

"Yeah, it took you half an hour to give up trying to get out and accept defeat."

"Two geniuses united in their plan to trap Walter O'Brien. I was so angry at first but then I laughed harder than I had in a while."

"I remember."

"I am glad you did it. You made a friend in Happy that day – that's no easy feat. I'm glad you fitted in here so easily."

"Me too Walter."

"What the hell is this?! I said fire department and ambulance." Toby demanded "Do you have any idea who's stuck down there?"

"All right, buddy, we're gonna need you to take a step back."

"Whoa. I'm not your buddy, and if anybody's gonna be condescended to, it'll be you by me. One of the great minds of this or any other lifetime- and also my friend- is clinging to life by a thread. We are formulating a plan of rescue, and are gonna need every resource at our disposal." Seeing that Toby needed help, Lillian and Happy went over.

"The resources belong to trained rescue personnel that-"

"That don't have the brain power of me with a hangover, this guy when he's sleeping or his kid when in a comma. So, first thing we'll need, Officer, is a soil integrity report on that Cliffside so we can start working toward a solution."

"Excuse me. Do you know what this badge means?"

"That you got "D"s in high school?" Lillian suggested

"Actually, I have a better solution." He declared. Five minutes later Happy and Toby were being pushed into a police car and Happy yelled at Sly and Lillian to call Cabe.

"I'll admit, Paige would have handled this better."

The officer went back to take charge and ushered Lillian and Sly out of the way.

"You're making a big mistake."

"Is that your daddy?"

"Firstly I never call him 'daddy' and secondly yes he is."

"Well he will save him kid don't you worry."

"I am worried because I am not going to risk my father's life in the hands of idiots."

"One more word out of you missy and I will arrest you too."

Cabe finally arrived, and not a moment too soon. When they did notice him, Sly and Lillian ran to him.

"Cabe. Cabe, they're talking about sending a team down with grappling hooks. Happy says this is going to disrupt the soil beneath the car and drop it like a hot potato. They've shoved us aside. They won't listen to us. They're gonna kill him." Lillian explained

"All right. Who the hell's in charge of this operation?!"

"I am."

"Wrong! I am. Cabe Gallo, Homeland. Now, get my behaviourist and engineer out of that squad car and give my team some room and before you ask, yes that includes the kid. That man down there is a government asset. Move!" Cabe ordered, flashing his SCUBA certification which thankfully, only Sly noticed.

Walter wasn't happy that Cabe was there but there wasn't anything he could do about it.

"Our soil expert just confirmed what Ms. Quinn was saying." Admitted the ex-leader

"Thank you very much."

"Which kills us sending guys down to hook the chassis and winch the car. A chopper extraction might be faster."

"No, the rotor wash could upset the car's balance. Call that a no-go" Lillian replied

The ex-leader briefly looked at amazed at the girl's intelligence.

"So, we're gonna send a team up from the canyon floor. They'll approach from underneath, secure the vehicle from there without going near the support topsoil. But nothing's guaranteed, and we're talking a half hour climb at least."

"If I can hold out that long."

"I don't like that look. Do I need to throw down a copy of The Power of Positive Thinking?"

"I want to see the equipment your team will be using, see if I can cut down the amount of time it'll take them to get to Walter."

"I don't think this is going to work." Lillian muttered and the team threw her looks that said 'not the time to be pessimistic 260'.

"Erm, I'll go call Paige."

The phone immediately picked up.

"Paige? It's me."

"Lillian, I thought I was your father."

"Yeah well there's a reason that he didn't pick up."

"It had better be good."

The sound of Ralph giving a cry of distress could be heard and there was a brief silence form the ex-waitress. Then suddenly she could be heard again.

"Oh my god!"

"I take it you are watching the news? Yep, Wall's over the cliff and before you ask, I'm fine. There four geniuses helping- five if you count Ralph."

"We're on the way."

When Lillian returned the ex-leader had already taken Happy to see the equipment. Cabe had sent people to track down Paige and Lillian told her father Paige was on the way. She felt like she interrupted a private conversation and left them to it.

Walter was happy that his daughter left. It meant he could talk with Cabe.

"Cabe you told me that when your daughter passed away, you'd visit her grave every Sunday."

"Yes, without fail."

"The grass at her plot—it was always, uh, green a healthy and others were brown. I hacked the sprinkler system; I watered them twice a day. The others were once a week."

"I always thought that was the groundskeeper taking pity on me, 'cause I was there alone."

"No, it was me."

They talked for a few seconds more agree that there should be no more secrets between them. That's where, right on que, a panicked voice of Lillian could be heard

"Guys! We have a problem! The engine!"

Sure enough there was a problem. Smoke could be seen from the car. If the flame hit the petrol tank – fire inferno.

They had a plan to deal with the immediate danger. It was Walter's idea. Using darts, they penetrate the oil pan so they ran out of fuel. A fire can't burn without fuel. Sly calculated that there was a target area of eight inches with a 2.2 inch margin for error. It worked! The fire would be out in seconds but there wasn't time to celebrate. There was still a very real genius stuck down a very real cliff with a real chance of real death.

They say when one door closes another one opens. If the 'door' was a problem then it was certainly true because now, Walter was no longer impaled and he was now arterially bleeding. He had four minutes until he bled out. To make things worse he was starting to go faint. So, they had to cauterise the wound. So they needed Walter to stay awake, that's where Lillian and Cabe came in.

With a silver pen (it seems Elia grew up with a sliver pen in his hand) and a cigarette lighter they successfully cauterised it. Another door closed.

"Toby do you remember the '07 World Series of poker when uh you made me go to Vegas with you?"

"How could I forget?"

"And you made me stay in that crappy hotel from … of the Strip?"

"El Ranchorito, it wasn't _that_ bad."

"And you won that gangster's bankroll in that… back-alley game? He and his friends chased us with crowbars for nine blocks? We had to hitchhike… back to LA?"

Toby realised with a sickening jolt that his friend was saying goodbye. "I remember every bit of it Walter, it was the best weekend of my life."

And they started to work on the solution but of course it didn't take long for something to go wrong. The idea that the team had, and the success around it, was formulated around the idea that Walter stayed completely still. However a bird landed on the bonnet of the car, making the car tilt slightly down towards the bottom. In two word not good.

Happy was not well happy that Walter was talking about the 'good old days' she knew it meant he was giving up.

"You have four geniuses up here putting their head together! You will not die."

Another door opened. A crow landed on the bonnet of the car. If the bird flew off, Walter died.

"I wish Dr Doolittle was here."

"I got an idea!" Exclaimed Happy and Lillian and they rushed off a quickly as they could. They can back with a crane. Cabe was not happy to find out that they had stolen it but Lillian cast a glance at Cabe.

"It's either this or my father dies. I know which on I want."

Walter was adamant that he wouldn't go anywhere until Paige was here. Toby knew that he wasn't going to open the car door until they got there.

"The last thing Walter O'Brien wants to do be before he dies is states fact, and the fact that he's tried to tell us, in his own way, is that he loves us."

The bird was ready to take flight and Paige arrived – just in time too.

"Paige I want you to know-"

Walter opened and just as the door opened Cabe grabbed him.

"I won't let go if you won't."

"Deal."

Team Scorpion members were waiting for their friend to wake up. Paige was looking after Ralph and Lillian. Elias came by too although it was quite clear that the adult geniuses didn't like him. The children however, still revered judgment. Sylvester even brought balloons which toby thought was lame.

Elias smiled and nodded at the team. "Hey, everybody!"

Toby didn't smile "If you're here about your car, it's wrecked."

"I don't care about the car, just checking on Walter."

"Sorry family only."

"Understood, just tell him I stopped by. Any if there's anything that he needs…"

"You'll be right there to try and steal him away again."

"After what I saw on TV breaking up a family like this would be criminal. Please keep be posted on how he's doing. But if you would _all_ like to come work with me, I'd be crazy not to have you guys working for me in my think tank. Food for thought?"

"No."

"Uh-uh"

"No way"

"Scorpion appreciates the offer, but, we're not corporate material. We're a team." Lillian responded, who had been dubbed at scorpion's 'heir' by Toby, who thought he was being funny. Let's face it; Toby always thinks he's being funny.

"We work out of a garage, not a think tank. And we work alone." Paige added

"What's all this "we" stuff, pilgrim?" Toby asked

"Yeah." Happy agreed "What about Maine?"

Ralph looked up at his mum

"I don't know Ralphy, what about Maine?"

"It's cold and wet." Ralph answered. Happy and Ralph high fived and Lillian and Ralph hugged. They realised what they were doing a separated instantaneously.

A few minutes later a doctor came into the room.

"Is this the O'Brien party?"

"What gave it away the balloons?"

It was decided that the children and Paige would see Walter first and then the others. So Paige Walked in with them

"Hey Walter."

"Hello Paige."

"Are you still moving to Maine?"

"No. Ralph belongs here."

"Paige today made me realise that our job is dangerous. I'm a genius and death isn't what I was scared off. It's that fact that if I die when Lillian's just a kid she'll have no-one to look after her. So, if anything happens to me, promise me you'll look after her."

"Of course Walter. Now I have some people that want to meet you, Ralph and Lillian first."

"Hey Walt, you gave us all a scare today."

"Yeah I know I did Ralph but I'll be okay."

"We know you'll be dad, I feel very happy."

"You do?"

"Yeah, you'll recover, you've forgiven Cabe and Ralph's staying. I think it's safe to say that, that's our problems resolved."

The rest of the team entered then.

"Hey guys!"

"Hey yourself."

Walter smiled when he noticed the balloons in Sly's hand.

"You brought balloons!"

"Yeah." Sly smiled smugly as if to say 'I told you so'.

"Sly, do you remember that time that... we filled that balloon with tapioca and then we took that catapult…"

"Walter, you don't need to take me down memory lane. But thanks. I love you, too"

"Hey, hey pal." Toby greeted "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too."

The doctor then came in "Ok, it's morphine time which means he's gonna be out like a light in about a minute. It's time for goodbyes."

"All right. We will see you back at work when you're all better, okay?" Paige told him

"Back to work?"

"Yeah. Back at work." she answered

"That put a smile on his face."

"That and the drugs." Joked Toby

"Bye. Okay. I'm gonna go see Megan. She's worried sick about her brother." Sly announced and left

"I'm gonna hit the Epsom salts. Swinging off a crane does a number on your back." Cabe left.

"I... I think might hang back for a bit in case Walter needs anything." Paige stayed.

"He's doped-up like a Tijuana drug mule." Toby pointed out

"Just in case. Happy, would you mind keeping an eye on Ralph and Lillian for a few hours?"

"Not if they don't mind getting his butt kicked in Constructo-Battle." Happy then turned to Toby "You want to babysit with me?"

"Of course I would."

"Hey, be good. They've had a long day, okay?" Paige told the kids hugging Ralph

"Thanks for not making me leave them." Ralph whispered quietly. Lillian stayed when Ralph ran to join Happy.

"Thanks for not making him leave us." She thanked before joining Ralph. Paige went back into the room where the doctor was doing observations on Walter.

"Uh, is it all right if I stay for a while?" she asked

The doctor smiled "Sure. But he's down for the count. He won't be awake for hours."

"Okay." Agreed and went to closer to Walter. "Thought for a moment today I'd seen you for the last time. It really bothered me that if that had happened, our final memory together would've been... a fight. I'm really glad that wasn't the case. Because... Because I really care about you, Walter." She leaned in and kissed him.

 **Sorry it took so long to update. I have had lots of work. Anyway I want to know:**

 **Should Walter and Paige be together after he recovers or should I leave it later?**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: The Long Road

 **Sorry I haven't updated: school and work experience. When I was in year four my mum got ran over by a car. She was fine. My teacher however spoke to me every day until she got out of hospital. I know she was just trying to make sure I was ok but it was really annoying. I just wanted to be left alone. If I needed to talk to her, I would have.**

 **Anyways. Enjoy. Keep reading. Keep happy. Keep enjoying. Oh! And Happy New Year! (a bit late but oh well, what a pity, never mind.)**

"Lillian, may I have a word please? You're not in trouble." Lillian's teacher asked.

Ralph and Lillian were working quietly when their teacher interrupted them. The teacher wanting to speak to Lillian was now surprisingly a rare occurrence. Since the whole 'Collins fiasco' Lillian and Ralph had calmed down and their teacher was less strict with them – not taking everything that Lillian or Ralph did as being purposely disrespectful. Now however, considering the recent events she spoke to her every day.

"How about the word annoyance?" Lillian muttered to Ralph, as she passed him, who tried hard to suppress his snigger.

"Yes Mrs Ramp?"

"Lillian, how are you?"

Lillian tried hard not to groan. Everyday her teacher asked her this question. Did she not understand that she didn't want to talk about it?

"I am fine; Walt's on the long road to recovery."

"He's certainty very lucky."

"It wasn't luck. Luck didn't have anything to do with it. Luck doesn't even exist. It was the brain power of the cyclone that saved my father – nothing else."

"Well whatever makes you happy. I just wanted to make sure to make sure that you were coping. It's hard to nearly lose a parent anytime, never mind when you're a kid. The fact you've already lost your mum doesn't help."

Lillian cast a glance over to Ralph who smiled smugly. Ever since the teacher had decided to take Lillian to one side and virtually be a shrink, _Ralph_ decided that it would be extremely hilarious to tease her about the fact she hated it – not in a mean way of course. Well, Lillian thought it was time to teach him a lesson.

"You know, you shouldn't just speak with me."

"I shouldn't?"

"No, Walt means as much to Ralph as he does me. You really should check that he's ok too."

"He seems fine."

"We're geniuses: we _always seem_ fine."

"Alright then, I will."

Lillian went back to her seat and Ralph looked up at her.

"Are you going to see Walter tonight?"

Lillian nodded her head. "Yeah I was planning in it: he's still refusing visitors. I'm going to knock some sense to him."

"Tell him get well soon form me."

"Sure."

They were interrupted by the teacher calling out softly. "Ralph, may I have a word please? You're not in trouble."

Ralph glared at Lillian accusingly "You! I hate you."

Lillian laughed and tapped him on the shoulder. "That'll teach you for being so smug! If I going down then you're going down with me!"

"Coming miss!" Ralph called out and with that he stood up and walked out the classroom.

After the chat which Ralph clearly hated, they went back to work trying to at least make it look like they were trying to do pay attention. After they finished they looked up at the clock and then the whiteboard. They had already finished and now they were allowed to do what they pleased. After handing in their work they went back to the naiver-stokes equations.

"Ralph, when are we leaving tomorrow?"

"My dad's coming as soon as we get back from school."

Ralph was going away to Maine for the weekend and since it was the first time, Lillian came too. It also meant that Walter didn't have to worry about her – that much.

"Yes fine." Walter had said "Lillian can go but it doesn't mean I won't worry. Drew's an idiot."

"Walter. I thought we agreed?"

"Agreed that Drew's an idiot? Yes we did."

So Lillian would spend the weekend in Maine. The next when the bags where packed Paige has holding a piece of paper which Lillian demanded to look at it said:

 **Instructions for looking after Lillian Clarissa Aliyah O'Brien**

Dinner is at 6. Make sure this happens

Remember Lillian is smarter then you – please do not condescend her

I will expect a phone call when they are in bed. If this doesn't happen **I will ask Happy to pay you a visit.**

Bedtime is at 8:30

You are to allow Lillian to phone to garage. She will want to discuss her projects

If we are on a case then you are to tell Lillian and Ralph

 **If any harm comes to the children then you will pay.**

 **These rules also apply to Ralph.**

Lillian laughed "I didn't have Walt pegged down as being the protective type."

"Walter? Are you kidding? Since his accident and your kidnapping he's being very protective! He had an hour long chat with Drew. You know the kind of thing. 'I see on hair out of place then I will condemn you to a slow and painful death.'."

"I believe his exact words were: 'I shall expect Lillian to be in perfect condition when she returns. If there is so much as a wrinkle in her clothing I will find the most painful way of killing you and do it. Then I will dispose of your body. I am a genius. I know how to dispose of a body."

Lillian rolled her eyes – that was _just_ what she needed. Drew turned up five minutes late which Lillian hastily pointed it out.

"Hello kids! Are you ready?"

"You're late."

"Yes I know. There was bad traffic."

"That's still late. You should have set out earlier."

Paige placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Lillian we don't need to point out that Drew is late. "

"If he doesn't want be to-"

"Go pack the car with Ralph."

Lillian open her mouth to protest but quickly closed it again without saying a word and left to do what she had been told.

Once they had returned it was time to go, so the youngest but smartest members of Scorpion said their goodbyes. With promises to call made and warnings given they were off.

Airports weren't something that Lillian particularly enjoyed frequenting but then again she couldn't think of anyone who really did. They were the kind of place that you only went when necessary and when you did you tried to get the visit over as much as possible. Hospitals were like that too. Well apart from 'frequent flyers' but _they_ didn't count.

"Hello Sir, can you just place your luggage on the scale please?" A woman named 'Daphne' asked them.

Drew nodded and placed his luggage on the scales which luckily came within the restrictions. She then turned to Lillian.

"Would you like to do yours or would you like your dad to?"

"He's not my dad and no I think I can manage."

"Not your dad?"

"No, mine's in hospital. So I'm going to Maine with my brother and _his_ dad."

"Oh ok then. How about you, would you like to weigh yours?"

Ralph just placed his suitcase on the scales as _his_ response. All 3 bags were on target and Drew handed over the tickets for the women to check who seeing that they were the right ones, sent the suitcases to the plane.

After that they had to go to customs and go through the x-ray machine and metal doctors once that had been dealt with it was time for another passport and ticket check before finally it was time to board.

"Well that was about as tiresome as expected." Lillian muttered as she took her seat next to Ralph who quickly sat by the window and gave a triumphant smile.

"I don't know quite why you're looking so pleased with yourself." Lillian commented "We decided on who was going to sit by the window first by a coin toss."

"Yeah and I chose the right side."

"It was a game of chance."

"You're only saying that because you lost."

"Lost what? There wasn't anything to lose it was a 50/50 chance."

" _Right._ So when you played poker last night with Toby and you won you _didn't_ win $20."

"That's different."

"In what way exactly?"

"Poker is about probability and it's not always 50/50. You can make the right decision based on each risk and the probability of it backfiring. You have to read other people. Those are _skills._ Poker is about probability and skill. There is no skill evolved in flipping a coin – when you do it properly like Happy did – otherwise people wouldn't use it at football matches to decide who goes first."

"In other words you're good at poker but you're bad flipping a coin."

"I'm good at poker but I'm not bad at flipping a coin I can flip a coin."

"You just can't predict what side it'll land on."

"I can but seen as though there are only two outcomes and I let you go first there's only on option that I can choose. My point is that there is no skill involved so you shouldn't look so pleased with yourself"

Drew looked at Lillian and Ralph with a face of concern.

"I really don't like the idea of you two even _knowing_ what poker _is_ let alone playing it."

"Toby taught us."

"Let me guess Walter what that was a marvellous plan." Drew mumbled to himself but Lillian, who had better hearing then Drew gave her credit for, heard it and scowled.

" _That's_ my _father_ you are talking about and for your information no he did not think it was a 'marvellous idea' as you put it. In fact he felt the complete and utter opposite when he found about Toby teaching us how to gamble he hit the roof and shouted and yelled at him for two hours! When Paige found out about Toby and I gambling again, he threatened to send Happy on him, tell Walter and ground us until we turned 21 if we did it again. So _An_ drew please keep your comments about my family to yourself."

"I'm sorry Lillian I didn't mean any offense."

"Well you did offend! A piece of advice for the future, my family mean everything to me and if anyone dared insult or harm them – in anyway – well I wouldn't like to be them."

Drew withdrew his gaze and nodded slightly.

"Ha! That told you didn't it? Ah forgive me! Davis's the name Mr William Davis. Excuse the old 1940's look but I'm staring in a forties movie. I'm trying to practise speaking in a posh 1940's accent." A man's voiced came from behind. He was wearing a blue suit, dark overcoat, black hombre cap and was carrying a dark brown valine. He looked very much like a character out one of those black and white films.

"Yes I don't think you'll be making comments on her old man again would ya?"

Lillian scowled a second time and what about to retort when she found Ralph doing it instead.

He looked around pretending to appear confused and then open his mouth. "I'm sorry but when did we invite you into the conversation? At what point did we make this a public discussion? Do us all a favour Mr Davis and keep out of things which don't concern you."

"Ralph!" chided Drew indignantly "That is no way to speak to someone! Show some respect. Now apologise."

"Sorry Mr Davis but it annoys me when people feel they have a need to join in on a conversation that they are clearly not a part of. Frankly I think that's rude too and you should be the one apologising."

"Ralph." Drew warned

"Ah no sir it's quite alright. I've always been a nosey parker. 'pose that's my fatal flaw. Curiosity killed the cat and 'll. I apologise and accept your apology."

Ralph accepted the apology and for the rest of the flight Mr Davis didn't say anything to the trio which secretly Drew was quite thankful for. Mr William Davis or whatever his name was seemed quite a talker. There was nothing worse than someone talk to you when you wanted silence.

For Lillian talking to anyone but those who you knew when traveling was unwanted. If you talked nighteen to the dozen to a stranger – even if you just said hello – well that was weird, you were weird. Lillian liked talking but only with those she knew. She didn't partake in chit-chat with Drew either, only speaking to him to answer certain questions or to tell him she wanted something. That wasn't because she didn't know Drew, in the last few months she got to know him quite well. She didn't speak to him because he didn't speak genius. In fact he didn't even have a second language at all. That assumed both Ralph and Lillian because they were both now fluent in French which they spoke to each other in when they didn't want Drew to know what they were talking about.

It was about 9 PM when they landed. The journey to house that Drew had been living in for the past few years took about an hour. With one thing and another though, it was well after 11PM until either of them got to sleep. Before he went to bed Drew texted everyone to tell them that the children were in bed and fine sending a picture of the children so they could see for themselves.

The following morning was quite lazy as they had a late night but Drew had planned to take the children to play baseball and watch a game– much to the geniuses' dismay.

"How long does a match last for?"

"They are called games not matches."

"Games, matches, whatever you want to call them how long do they last?"

"Three hours."

"Three hours?! You mean we have to sit doing nothing for 180 minutes?"

"Well they have half time. That's after an hour and a half."

"No kidding Sherlock!"

So that was how Ralph and Lillian found themselves sat in the stalls munching on what was described as a 'corn dog'. Which Lillian determined wasn't as good as a normal hot dog. Lillian and Ralph spent most of their time waiting for the game to finish.

When the game was finally over the trio left to go for dinner and Drew has just getting to a local restaurant when he realised he had a missing message.

"DREW! I bet you're swanning of watching some game or whatever but I have a really important message. We are on a case, kids. We will tell you all about it another day but all I will say is that we have a new director and that your father Lillian is about of hospital to help us with it."

That got Lillian and Ralph talking, and Lillian who pulled out her laptop and had found out what the problem was before Drew had ordered. They knew that they couldn't talk about it as it would spread panic but they did allow themselves to talk about aerospace engineering. So when the waiter gave them their drinks, they were literally talking about rocket science.

"We had a bit of luck today." Drew commented trying to strike up a conversation about the game. Neither Lillian nor Ralph dignified it with a response.

By the time Lillian and Ralph had got home, washed, brushed their teeth and got into bed, the case was over. Drew phoned like he always did while the two child geniuses planned what they wanted to do on their final day.

When they woke up the next day, Lillian and Ralph told Drew that they wanted to go to a talk of Advanced Robotics. Lillian had been transferred to Ralph's class, even though it meant that she had to start half way through the year, it wasn't that hard to catch up thanks to Ralph. She had already got her degree in computing and mathematics.

"You don't want to go to a talk? I thought you'd want to do something fun."

"Advanced Robotics _is_ fun Dad! What you got to remember is that we – that is Lillian and I – are not normal kids. We don't like normal kids' stuff."

"I see. Look Ralph, if that really what you want, then I don't mind. All I want is to spend time with you; I just hope this is what _you_ want."

"What do you mean?"

"Yeah Drew what do you mean?"

"Only that I hope this isn't just what Lillian wants. I think you can be a little overbearing."

"Overbearing?"

"Yeah you know domineering, dominating – bossy."

"I am quite aware of what overbearing means. What I don't know is why you think I'm that. I'll have you know that it was Ralph who found out that there was a talk, it was Ralph's idea he was the one who suggested it in the first place– not the other way round thank-you very much!"

"Alright! Alright! I'll take it back. Gee anyone would think I'd accused you of murder. Do you not take criticism?"

Lillian scowled "I take _constructive, accurate_ and _justified_ criticism. None of which was what your criticism would come under. I do not take inaccurate criticism likely."

Drew nodded "So if I pointed out that you're as stubborn as a goat…"

"Oh I would agree. I _am_ very stubborn. Often to a fault, but then who would we be without faults?"

"Faultless?" Suggested Drew

Lillian snorted "There's no such thing! Like all enemies have a weakness, all people have a fault. Saying you're faultless is itself a fault,"

Ralph wrinkled his nose "Since when did this turn into philosophical debate? Are we going to the university for the talk or not?"

"We can go but I haven't booked it."

"Yeah I know, but I checked and like half the seats are still empty. So you can book it now."

Drew picked up the laptop that was held in front of him and after a few minutes their places were booked.

It took just under half an hour to drive to the university and they arrived in time to pick out the seats in the front row. After about fifteen minutes the seats began to fill and it was certainly noticed that two kids were there. Ralph gave Lillian a look which said 'let's show these people we mean business' they did do. They asked very complicated questions about robotics and corrected a few statements that just wasn't true. By the end of it the two had gained a reputation for being the most knowledgeable people there. When the speaker had left and the claps had subsided, they found themselves at the questioning of one Adrian Foxglove, who seemed to know a lot about robotics.

"You seemed to know your stuff." He started

"Yeah well that's what happens when one of your friends is a mechanical genius." Ralph replied

"Well I was impressed. I'm not usually impressed, especially by two ten year olds."

"We're not your average ten year olds."

"No I suppose not. Is that a British accent I detect?"

Lillian groaned inwardly. She had been here not yet a year, so her accent was quite strong. In fact she hadn't really lost it at all. The question about her accent however was getting to be annoying.

"Yes it is I was born there. Anyways unless there's something Ralph wants to chat or ask about we had best be making a move."

Ralph shock his head to indicate that he too was getting bored with the small talk.

"Yes I think we should go too. I'm hungry. Do you think we could go to some restaurant? Some restaurant that does actual food?"

"Sure thing sport."

Lillian smiled pleasantly at the man "Goodbye Mr. Err what did you say your name was again?"

"Foxglove."

"Goodbye Mr. Foxglove."

Once they were out of there Lillian and Ralph gave a sigh of relief.

"Alright what was that all about?"

"That Foxglove man was the most irritating little so and so I have ever had the misfortune to meet. His voice was irritating and he looked like he had two pennies stuck up his nostrils." Lillian declared.

Drew laughed "I wouldn't have guessed you disliked him."

"We both disliked him." Ralph declared "We just didn't show it because mum's been teaching us that we shouldn't always just say what we think. I nearly gave the game away when you asked what his name was again."

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently

"I know you Li. You knew his name you just pretended you didn't. Satire is the highest form of wit."

Drew checked his watch.

"Where do you guys want to eat?"

"How about Indian?"

"Sure it's been ages since I've had chicken tikka masala!"

After the kids were in bed he skyped the team.

"Drew! Guys it's Drew!" He heard Paige call and soon all the members of the team appeared.

"How are they Drew?" Paige asked

"They're fine, went to a robotics talk tonight, they certainly enjoyed it. I don't think they enjoyed the man that wanted to give small talk though. Lillian said and I quote 'he looked like he had two pennies stuck up his nostrils'." Drew showed them a picture of the man which Ralph had ingeniously got by feigning awe.

The team laughed and Paige, who was obviously trying not to laugh, frowned in disapproval.

"Drew, don't encourage them like that. It's not nice to make fun of people."

"Of course it's not but still the kid's description is pretty accurate. Anyway you'd have been proud of them; they didn't say any of this in front of the man. In fact they were quite polite."

Paige smiled "Good. Now we just have to tackle saying it at all."

Meanwhile the kids were having their own conversation.

Lillian was fiddling with her fingers and biting the side of her lip the way she always did when she was unsure of something or couldn't figure it out. When she or Ralph made that kind of face around Paige it always made her nervous. She wanted to help but with child geniuses it wasn't always that simple. It could be something emotional but then, both of them had IQ's in the 200's so it could be something extremely complicated like quantum entanglement.

"What is it Li?"

Lillian gave a noncommitting grunt before answering.

"You don't think I'm overbearing do you?"

"So that's what that's about. My dad, what he said got to you?"

"Mmm."

"And you want to know what if I think that's true?"

"I think that would be pretty obvious by the fact I'm asking you."

"Since when have you cared about what people who matter to you think?"

"Just answer the question, please and stop answering my questions with more questions. It's very annoying."

"It's just part of my charm. You want to what I think then fine. I think that was my dad said was crap."

"I didn't know you spoke French."

"Don't deflect. You're not overbearing, domineering, bossy or any word similar to it. Lillian sat for three hours watching that baseball match when I know you hated it even more than I did!"

"Yeah 'cause I know how important this weekend is for you. It doesn't matter what you do just that you spend time with him."

"Exactly. Today the first thing I said to you was 'What do you want to do?' to which you replied…"

"'Whatever you want to do. It's up to you.'"

"Exactly. Now is that the kind of person that strikes to you as being bossy? 'cause it doesn't where I'm sitting. Bossy means 'given to ordering people about' but you've just done what I want even if you'd rather not. So no, I do not think you are over bearing. You've just taken charge when it was necessary. Like when no-one understood what those suspects were saying as they were talking another language."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome, now when you've quite finished doubting yourself, let's get some sleep. It's going to be a long day we will need the energy."

"You're beginning to sound like your mum."

Ralph chuckled "Yes well, while Walt's on the long road to recovery, we're on the long road too."

"To what?"

"I don't know. Physically for the way home and metaphorically for the meaning of life the earth and everything."

"42."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19 Not the only one with secrets

 **Hey guys!**

 **Again, so sorry for the lack of updates I have had writer's block and just no time to update it has been crazy.**

 **Anyways. Enjoy. Keep reading. Keep happy. Keep enjoying.**

Lillian abruptly awoke, her dream which she couldn't remember, were cut off. It was still dark outside and although it was still winter, she knew it was too dark for it to be morning. No, her alarm hadn't woken her- it was silent. She switched on her bedside lamp on and glanced at her alarm clock. It was 4:03 am. Something had disturbed her slumber and while it could be nothing, her instincts told her it _was_ something. Toby had told her and Ralph that instincts are generally correct and that she should that little niggling feeling in her gut. Now, Lillian was at a quandary. Should she go down and investigate? It didn't seem like a safe idea, Cabe and recently told her that she should not take unnecessary risks. When she was held at gunpoint, she had Cabe and the others to be there for a distraction and Cabe had a gun – and a got eye- just in case. She just hit him here it hurt. She would have that here. She was good at martial arts but she shouldn't take unnecessary risks. Confronting an intruder when they could be armed seemed like an unnecessary risk.

However, who said that there _was_ an intruder? Oh, yeah. Her instincts. Lillian made up her mind. It was quite dark outside, she was a good fighter but others saw her as a little girl. The man could just shoot her. She was a little girl but the intruder didn't know that did he (or she of course)? She was going to go downstairs – armed. She'd be as quite as she could and – she could strap pillows to herself so that when she cast a shadow she seemed muscly. If she used Walter's voice manipulator then she could very well get away with tricking the intruder into thinking she was a dangerous man. After all often all, a person's perception of an advent or person can affect their behaviour even if that perception is wrong.

So, strapped with pillows, stilts for height, armed with a nurf gun and voice manipulator at the ready, Lillian headed downstairs. She kept to the shadows and now that she was downstairs she could hear the unmistakable sound of someone trying to get into a filling cabinet. A filling cabinet?! Who would break into the garage for a filing cabinet? There were plenty of valuable things that would make more money – unless the intruder didn't want money but information. Information about what though? Cases? Was the intruder some sort of fan of Scorpion and wanted to read their cases? How did they get in anyway? Lillian crept forward until her shadow was cast clearly against the floor. It just occurred to Lillian that she should probably get her father. How did she only just think about that? Hindsight was 20/20. Well, she was downstairs now she had to go through with it now.

"Are you looking for something in particular my friend or is this just a social call? Perhaps I can be of assistance?"

The man jumped, dropping the item he was using to help him open the filing cabinet. He was unarmed then. 'That makes one of us' Lillian thought.

"Who—who are you?"

"I think the real question is who are _you_ sir?"

"I'm no-one"

"No-one, hm. Well, no-one what are you doing here?"

"Nothing."

"Wrong answer. I'm armed. Back away slowly."

'No-one' obeyed and when he could close enough she grabbed dome robe while pointing the gun at him.

"Tie yourself up. Unless you want to see how good a shot I am."

The man toed himself up to Toby's chair. When it could to the point that he couldn't anymore, Lillian finished it off.

"Now I think I'll switch on the lights. I'd like to see your face and no doubt you'd like to see mine." 

Lillian switched on the light and both her and the intruder's eyes adjusted to the light. When he saw Lillian – his surprise was obvious.

"You're just a kid!"

"A kid that managed to outsmart you. Now if you don't mind, I'm taking my disguise off. It is rather hot. Now as you are hardly in a position to argue tell me exactly why you are here."

"I wanted information."

"Yes that much is obvious, what information is what I really would like to know. First tell you are though."

"My name is Joey. Joey Curtis."

" _Curtis?_ As in Toby _Curtis?"_

"Yeah! Do you know him?"

"He is a friend of mine – an Uncle in all but blood. What relation to Toby do you possess?"

"He's my son."

"You're Toby's dad?"

"Yeah so you know him well then?"

"I do." Lillian replied narrowing her eyes "Like I said he is my Uncle."

"So you know where to find him then? Where he lives?"

"I do but I am not telling you."

"Why not?"

"The fact that you don't know yourself and that you are here at 4:15 in the morning to find out shows that Toby doesn't want you to know. The fact that he has _never_ mentioned you and that neither you or I know each other shows that your relationship is at the very least estranged."

"I guess you could say that we aren't on speaking terms. That's why I need you to tell me."

"You won't find anything and I won't betray Toby's trust like that. If we wanted to fix whatever relationship you had then, believe me, you wouldn't be tied to his chair with a skipping rope."

"So you aren't going to help me?"

"I didn't say that. First I am getting my dad – he needs to know the situation. Then we are all going to sleep – you can sleep on the sofa I will untie you. It's Saturday so the team is not due in. I will call Toby at 10 to tell him what is happening. What happens then is up to him."

"How do you know I will stay?"

"You came to patch things up this is your only chance. You won't find any information here. That is online and I doubt you'll get in. Which brings us to my next question, how did you get in?"

Toby's dad looked smug "No lock is unpickable when I am around."

"Pull the other one. You couldn't even get into the locks on the filing cabinet and they are just slightly easier than the one on the door. Happy, the best lock picker in the world made that lock. If she and I can only just get in that a bimbo like you wouldn't even have a chance."

"Fine, the door was open."

"So came here on the off chance that you'd be able to get in?"

"I thought there'd be a back entrance or something."

"I'm getting Walter now – my dad."

Lillian banged on her father's bedroom door and after a few minutes the door slowly open and a sleepy, rather irritated Walter stood in the door way. He looked at his daughter in what he probably thought was a concerned look – it just looked sleepy.

"Lillian" *yawn* "It's 4:25 in the morning."

"Actually it's 4:24."

"That's not funny. They'd better be a good reason as to why you are waking me up before the sun. Did you have a nightmare?"

"No. There's a man downstairs. He says he is Toby's dad."

"How did you know?"

"I think the early morning is getting to you. I said 'he says' which implies he told me."

"You spoke to him?"

"No, I connected my brain to his. Didn't I tell you I was physic? Of course I spoke to him!"

"Lillian Clarissa Aaliyah O'Brien of all the irresponsible and dangerous things you can do that one had never entered my head! You don't just go down stairs and confront an intruder! He could be extremely dangerous!

"I had a plan and he wasn't armed – not even remotely dangerous. He jumped when he heard my voice."

"You didn't know that and you're plan might have back fired and then where would we be?"

"Fine next time I will get you. Now, you can lecture me later, don't you think we have more important things to worry about?"

"Ugh. You're right _but_ we are going to talk about being heroic and putting yourself in danger. Now, show me where this man is and as we go downstairs you can tell me the whole story."

Walter was filled in by Lillian so that by the time they had reached the sofa he knew exactly what had gone on.

"Alright I think I can take if from here. Li, go to bed now please."

Lillian was too tired to argue and so went upstairs to her room. Once his daughter had left, Walter turned to the man sat on the sofa.

"Ok, this is how everything is going to pan out. You can stay here for now. At 10 I am going to ring Toby and tell him everything. If and only if, he says he wants to see you then he'll come over here. What happens next is completely up to him. The balls are in his court and neither I nor my daughter will betray his trust."

The man sighed but both him and Walter knew he was in no place to argue. Now, with everything sorted and Walter himself needing to go to bed he went upstairs to bed but not before checking on Lillian. She wasn't asleep yet.

"Look Walt, whatever you are going to lecture me about can wait until we are more awake."

"I wasn't going to lecture – well not yet anyway. I am just curious as to how he got in."

"Oh didn't I tell you?"

"No Li you didn't. Why do I get the impression that you're going to enjoy telling me?"

"Well you see – it was your fault."

"Oh really and why is that?"

"You left the door unlocked." Lillian replied in a sing song voice

"I can't have!"

"Why are you physically incapable of leaving it unlocked? Do you suffer from immense pain if you do?"

"No, of course not: it's just unlikely!"

"Would you say it is more or less unlikely than, other than one of us, being able to pick the lock?"

"I get your point. I guess I might have done."

"How I don't know. You have a photographic memory."

"Lillian you know it does not work like that – now goodnight."

At precisely 10:03 am Walter called Toby

" _Hello! Welcome to Scorp Corp's Number 1 Doctor! You call I Doctor!"_

" _Please don't answer like that."_

" _Oh! Hello Walter! Or should I say spoil sport?"_

" _Don't sound so surprised – you knew it was me."_

" _Oh and you are sure about that are you?"_

" _You have Caller ID. Now on to the matter in hand…"_

" _There isn't a case is there? Happy and I- I mean I am having a lie-in."_

Walter decided to ignore the slip up.

" _No. There's someone here to see you but I didn't want to tell him where you lived without you deciding that_ you _want to see_ him _."_

" _Who is it?"_

" _It's your father."_

The line went quiet for a while before Toby spoke again.

" _No. I don't want to see him. Tell him to get lost."_

There was the sound of muffled speaking which got slightly louder but Walter still couldn't hear what was being said. Walter was about to hang up when Toby's voice sounded.

" _I've changed my mind – I'll see him. I'll be there in half an hour."_ His tone was one that was rather irritated. It only took five minutes to get to Toby's house and ten to get to Happy's. If he was at Happy's house then the most it would take with really bad traffic would be 20 minutes. There shouldn't be bad traffic. That made Walter realise he was doing two things – one delaying seeing his father and two putting his father off the sent as to where he lived.

" _Alright I'll see you there."_

Walter turned to Joey who was looking up at him in anticipation. The look on his face was almost enough to tell him it was the wrong number but Joey wasn't _that_ stupid.

"He will be here in half an hour." Walter replied.

"Toby will be here in half an hour?" A familiar voice asked

"Hello sleepy head, yes that is right."

"Cool."

"Where you going?"

"I want to play piano."

Recently Lillian had taken an interest in playing piano ever since she read a paper that playing an instrument improved brain function. She also played violin but was not today was piano day. In her short time that she had picked up the interest she was already quite good and was only improving.

"Not yet – we are going to resume our little chat from last night."

"What chat are you talking about? The one about who was the better composer – Beethoven or Mozart? Because I thought we agreed on Mozart."

"You know exactly the chat I mean. Go to your room we will have it there."

Lillian groaned and went back up the stairs and Walter followed.

"Now Lillian it is time we got down to business. What you did earlier was stupid, reckless and irresponsible."

"I took precautions!" Lillian protested

"Precautions are to be taken to reduce risk. There was a thing you could have done to reduce the risk even further – by not going down at all."

"I had a problem and that was the most efficient option."

"Damn efficiency!" Walter shouted then spoke again in a calmer voice. "Damn it if it puts your safety at risk. You should have thought about the safest option and then considered the most efficient option."

"It solved my problem. I succeeded didn't I?"

"That's not the point Li and you know it. Like when you and Ralph almost died by going down that metal tube – yes you succeeded and yes it was needed but you still but yourself in danger. This time it wasn't even needed! You need to learn that there is a better way to solve your problems then charging in head first. If you keep charging in head first the only thing you guarantee is that you'll hurt your head."

"Let me guess – grounded?"

"No."

Lillian looked surprised then confused.

"While what you did was stupid, you did think about some of the risks – just not all. So you are not grounded."

"However" Walter added before his daughter could take this to mean she'd get of scot free. "You will write a page on how you could have dealt with this scenario differently and how it is better than the way you did deal with it."

"An essay? Seriously Walter is this school?"

"No but I can make it even more like school if you like and get you to write lines too."

"I'll take the essay."

"I figured you would. Go on then the sooner you start the sooner you finish – read it to me when you are done."

So Lillian started on her 'homework'. It didn't take her long actually in fact by the time she had finished and read it out to Walter, Toby had only just arrived.

Li hovered in the doorway when they he arrived and Walter turned to her.

"I thought you were going to play piano?"

"Err I wanted to give Toby some quiet?"

"Toby can talk to him upstairs so, and I mean this in the politest way, mind your own business."

Toby smiled at Walter.

"Thanks, Walt – we won't be long."

So Lillian went to play piano she was K 545 by Mozart – a moderately difficult piece that she had nearly perfected and soon the gentle sound of Mozart filled the garage. After a few minutes Toby appeared with his father who turned to him.

"So I will see you tomorrow at 12:30?"

"Yeah sure thing Dad, see you then."

"Bye then Lucky T."

"Don't call me that – I'm not five anymore."

With that Toby's dad left them and Lillian stopped playing to speak to his son.

"What's happening tomorrow at 12:30?"

"Li leave him alone." Walter ordered but Toby indicated with his hand.

"It's fine Walt; it's only natural for the kid to be curious. My dad wants to catch up – we've arranged to meet at the diner."

Lillian grunted "Mmm and you agreed?"

"You don't think that that was a good idea?"

Lillian was about to answer that question with a curt 'no' but before she could, she caught Walter's glance, aimed at her. His glace had one clear message: leave it well alone. So instead she marked her expressions as much as she could – and because she doesn't lie replied with:

"It doesn't matter what I think. Excuse me."

Lillian left the group to go upstairs to reduce the chance of Toby reading her though she had a feeling that Toby already knew what she thought; that it was not a good idea to meet with his father, Lillian just wasn't that good at hiding her thoughts.

It was strange though because when Ralph wasn't sure if he wanted to see his father, Lillian told him to go for it yet here she felt the opposite. It was a sort intuition that said all this would do would end in hurt for Toby. She didn't believe in intuition though that was the thing. If anything this new development made her realise that she wasn't the only one with secrets. Well, she didn't have any now- they knew all of them.

She spent the rest of that day at Paige's working with Ralph on the Naiver Stokes Equations – they were so close. While she was concentrating with the in hand she could help but think about what had gone on with Toby and his father. It stuck her that she didn't actually know much about her family's childhood but it wasn't the same the other way round. In fact that knew quite a lot about what had happened before she had joined their team. That wasn't fair. However, life wasn't fair – she learnt that the hard way.

"Li are you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine."

"Let me rephrase the question: what's worrying you?"

"I can't tell you Ralph."

Ralph looked hurt and Lillian felt guilty because of it. "I thought you didn't lie."

"I don't but the thing I am worrying about is about something that happened to someone else. I can't tell you that because that person might not want you to know" Then she added, reading her brother's thoughts "And it's not that I don't trust you 'cos you know I do – with my life. It's that it's neither my trust nor secret to give. I won't betray my friend's trust like that."

Ralph nodded. That was the thing about his sister, she didn't give her loyalty very easily but once you had it, it was hard to loose and was a thing that was incredibly strong. Lillian was the smartest person he knew (and there was a lot of competition) but she was also the most loyal.

"Is it about Toby?"

"How did-"

"He told me – us that is."

"'Us' as in, you and your mum?"

"'Us' as in everyone."

"Oh, well yeah it is." Lillian gulped "Look this stays between us?"

"You know I'll keep any secret you tell me. Well. Within reason. Anyway what were you going to say?"

"I don't think he should see him. I think Toby will you hurt."

"You should be to go for it because I will never know otherwise."

"I know but that's different. That's the thing with advice it's personally. One piece that fits one situation doesn't necessarily apply to the other. I just have a feeling, an intuition if you like that it's all going to go to blazes. I think I might just 'accidently' be in the same place at the same time tomorrow."

Ralph smirked "You know I just so happened to leave my baseball cap there tonight and just happen to remember in time – well it wouldn't be my fault for running over there so it doesn't get lost."

"And of course you'll need me for moral support."

"Of course. Now, I think we should go down a get a snack. All this conniving behaviour – sorry coincidental behaviour is making me hungry." 

The next day the two young geniuses got the diner with five minutes to spare. They were allowed out for two hours on their own so they hoped the talk with father and son wouldn't last that long. Lillian had predicted the table at which the couple would talk to and Ralph hid a com and upgraded it to pick up further away voice so they could hear what was being said.

" _Lucky T it's good to see you."_

" _I told you not to call me Lucky T."_

" _You used to love me calling you that."_

" _That was when I was a five year old begging for my dad's attention. And it wasn't luck it was behavioural analysis."_

Suddenly Lillian and Ralph felt that they were interrupting a very private conversation which reduced them to being a few centimetres tall. There was no going back know though.

" _Fine, it's good to see you Tobias."_

" _Now we have had the pleasantries tell me why you are here."_

" _I want to see you."_

" _Don't give me that! You've had years to 'see' me. Why are you here now?"_

" _There's no ulterior motive here Tobias."_

" _My name is Toby! There's always an ulterior motive with you dad! Did you hear about my job? That's it isn't it? You need money and now I'm earning some 'high buckaroos' as you used to call it you want to cash in – if you excuse the pun. How much this time?"_

" _$4000"_

" _I don't believe you Dad! I really thought you'd changed but people never change – that's the thing. At least you never change. Good-bye dad."_

" _Tobia- Toby come on!"_

" _Yes dad?" Both Lillian and Ralph could hear the hope in his voice_

" _I need that money! You're earning lots now, you can afford it."_

" _Goodbye dad. Come near me again – or my family – and I will get a reinstating order."_

" _I AM your family."_

" _No you're not. Neither you nor mum are my family you haven't been for a long time. Scorpion is my family and if you mess with that you'd better be prepared to feel the sting of the cyclone."_

Lillian and Ralph made sure to hide themselves before Toby or, when he came storming out minutes later, his dad, saw them. Once they were sure that both were gone- they waited five minutes before going to the table that they had sat at and removed the com before heading to the park. They had just under an hour left and if they went back now it would look suspicious. They had already taken the trouble to leave 45 minutes before the 'dinner date' to further remove suspicion. No-one spoke for a while.

"I think. I think we should not tell anyone what we heard Ral."

"Same it wasn't really our business in the first place."

"No. It's just…"

"You wanted to make sure you were right?" Ralph offered – rather coolly.

"No, no. The opposite actually, I wanted to be wrong because that meant everything would be ok with Tobs."

"I know lie, I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at Jerky Curtis."

"Jerky Curtis! I loved that." Lillian laughed.

"You know Ralph I don't know what is worse. Having a parent that you are not talking to and would only want to be there for your money or having a parent that's dead."

"I don't know. You would though."

"Why would I?"

"You said that after Joe died and even before then, your mother was rather distant towards you so much so that by the time she died you died really know her. So you've had both so which do you think is worse?"

After some thought she answered. "There first. Having a parent that doesn't care. With second you might have lost something forever but you had something. There is nothing worse than the feeling that your mother doesn't care about you."

"I'm sure she did."

"She had a funny way of showing it."

"Grief works in strange ways."

"Yeah…"

Ralph looked at his watch "We should be getting back – now remember we know nothing."

When the pair got the garage, Toby was there.

"So Toby how did it go?" They heard Paige ask.

"I've been here for half an hour and you ask now?"

"Well I didn't want to impose."

"It went fine."

"Toby I know you're lying."

That was when Lillian and Ralph joined the conversation.

"You don't think went well then Walt?"

The team turned to face Lillian and Ralph.

"Hi! I didn't see you two come in and no I don't think it went well."

"Fine! You're right it didn't go well. Not well at all. He only wanted money not to get to know me."

Lillian placed a hand on Toby's arm.

"You know doc, we are just worried about you. You're like my Uncle."

"If that Jerk doesn't want to get to know you then he's certainly not where you got your genius because he is an idiot."

"Well strictly speaking 'genius' isn't genetic so might not have 'got it' from anyone." Walter explained and Paige shot him a look.

Toby smiled sadly "That's not enough."

Lillian nodded. "I know. It's not enough that someone who should be biologically programmed to care about you doesn't or at least doesn't show it. I know because that's exactly how I feel."

"Lillian if you think I don't care about you then perhaps you need to rewind to a talk earlier."

"I'm not talking about you Dad. I'm talking about Mum."

Toby put his arm around Lillian "Thank-you Lillian. You know it helps to know that my parents are not my family. You guys are."

"Aww thanks."

"Do you think we can go before I vomit?" Happy asked – but she was smiling and one by one the team- the family – left the garage.

It was only as the last person left did Walter realise that his daughter had called him Dad. Walter O'Brien could not explain it but Lillian calling him that made him feel so warm and he never wanted it to go away.


End file.
